Characteristics of Teachers Participating in Voluntary Music Integration Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wagner, Diana; Baron, Jessica

2008-01-01

This study examines characteristics of teachers participating in the national Guitars in the Classroom program in the 2007-2008 school year. 96 teacher participants from programs across the United States completed an online survey at the start of their professional development programs, usually 6-10 hours. 75 percent of teachers electing to…

Assessing the Functional Knowledge of Participants in the Virginia Beginning Teacher Assistance Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Medley, Donald M.; And Others

1989-01-01

Describes the development of an assessment program for beginning teachers and the program's effect on teaching and teacher education in Virginia. Discusses definitions of competence and performance, development of a system for assessing competence, training of classroom recorders, and measurement of competence by observations of teachers'…

Uncovering a Connection between the Teachers' Professional Development Program and Students' Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Su-ching; Cheng, Wen-wen; Wu, Ming-sui

2015-01-01

Most research suggests professional development improves teachers' knowledge and pedagogy and enhances teachers' confidence to facilitate a positive attitude about student learning. This study attempted to investigate the connection between teacher professional development program and students' Learning. This study took Readers' Theater Teaching…

The Development and Validation of an Inservice Program for Vocational Teachers of the Disadvantaged. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ehresman, Norman D.; And Others

The major objective of the research project was to develop and implement an inservice education program designed to improve teaching effectiveness of vocational teachers of disadvantaged students in vocational programs. In addition, the authors sought to determine the effects of the inservice program on teachers and their students and to develop a…

Web-Based Certification Courses: The Future of Teacher Preparation in Special Education?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sun, Ling; Bender, William N.; Fore, Cecil, III

2003-01-01

This article describes development and implementation of the Western Carolina University Teacher Support Program, a multi-component Web-based special education teacher development course. The program is intended to reduce stress and burnout, improve retention, develop problem solving strategies, and improve the effectiveness of teachers.…

The Arctic Climate Modeling Program: Professional Development for Rural Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bertram, Kathryn Berry

2010-01-01

The Arctic Climate Modeling Program (ACMP) offered yearlong science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) professional development to teachers in rural Alaska. Teacher training focused on introducing youth to workforce technologies used in Arctic research. Due to challenges in making professional development accessible to rural teachers, ACMP…

Evaluation and capacity building to improve precollege science and mathematics achievement in the US: 10 CFR, Part 605. Technical progress report, June--December 1992

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

Not Available

1992-12-31

The National Center for Improving Science Education has undertaken activities to achieve evaluation goals for DOE`s Precollege programs: develop means to determine program quality; develop means for determining the contribution of DOE precollege programs to both teacher enhancement and student achievement; provide evaluation designs and instruments and reports of program quality and impact; and strengthen both DOE`s and the Labs` capacity to do both short- and long-term planning as well as deliver effective programs and evaluation. Appendices include evaluation/technical assistance report, profiling teacher research participation and teacher development programs, teacher surveys, impact assessment design, and teacher research participation programs anecdotesmore » for 8 labs.« less

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Torres, Myriam N.

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

Mathematics Teachers' Professional Development Program--Needs and Expectations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levi-Keren, Michal; Patkin, Dorit

2016-01-01

This paper presents the major findings and recommendations from a formative evaluation of the first of a 2-year in-service training program. This program was designed for the professional development of math teachers. It was developed following an educational reform, which was meant to enhance the teachers' ability to generate changes in their…

Turning Policy into Practice: Examining the Relationship between Policy, Research, and Program Development in Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paolucci, Catherine; Jennings, Kevin

2017-01-01

This article discusses the relationship between policy, research, and program development in mathematics teacher education. In particular, it considers the influences of policy and research along with social, economic, and cultural factors in the conceptualization and development of an undergraduate mathematics teacher education program in…

Teachers' professional development needs and current practices at the Alexander Science Center School

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gargus, Gerald Vincent

This investigation represents an in-depth understanding of teacher professional development at the Alexander Science Center School, a dependent charter museum school established through a partnership between the California Science Center and Los Angeles Unified School District. Three methods of data collection were used. A survey was distributed and collected from the school's teachers, resulting in a prioritized list of teacher professional development needs, as well as a summary of teachers' opinions about the school's existing professional development program. In addition, six key stakeholders in the school's professional development program were interviewed for the study. Finally, documents related to the school's professional development program were analyzed. Data collected from the interviews and documents were used to develop an understand various components of the Alexander Science Center School's professional development program. Teachers identified seven areas that had a high-priority for future professional development including developing skills far working with below-grade-level students, improving the analytical skills of student in mathematics, working with English Language Learners, improving students' overall reading ability levels, developing teachers' content-area knowledge for science, integrating science across the curriculum, and incorporating hands-on activity-based learning strategies to teach science. Professional development needs identified by Alexander Science Center School teachers were categorized based on their focus on content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, or curricular knowledge. Analysis of data collected through interviews and documents revealed that the Alexander Science Center School's professional development program consisted of six venues for providing professional development for teachers including weekly "banked time" sessions taking place within the standard school day, grade-level meetings, teacher support meetings, classroom coaching/Big Lab co-teaching, summer institutes, and off-campus conferences and seminars. Results indicated that the effectiveness of the six venues was closely tied to the level of collaborative planning that took place between the Alexander Science Center School and the associated California Science Center. Examination of teachers' and stakeholders opinions reflect that after a year-and-a-half of operations, the school's professional development program is perceived as disjointed and ineffective, but that the foundation of a sound program has been established.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berry Bertram, Kathryn

2011-12-01

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

Networked Teacher Professional Development: The Case of Globaloria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitehouse, Pamela

2011-01-01

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

The Evolution of a Mathematics Lead Teacher Program: Teacher Leaders' Perspective on the Selection and Adaptation of Their Leadership Roles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saada, Nivan

2012-01-01

I examine a unique Elementary Mathematics Lead Teacher program entering its second decade of operation. The program is based in a large, urban, Midwestern school district, with the vision of developing a cadre of teacher leaders to support mathematics education. The district's professional development content was conventional, including both…

Professional development and teacher impacts: The NSF GK-12 experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Camasta, Susan Fullett

Professional development is a central piece in the continuing education of teachers. The purpose of this study was to examine professional development for teachers, in particular, the impact of one program that has the potential to positively influence educators as their careers evolve. Twenty-seven teachers who served as participants in the National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) Fellows in K-12 Education Program (GK-12) volunteered to be interviewed about their experiences as teacher partners with graduate student Fellows who were considered experts in their content area and research methods. The teachers taught 1st through 12th grades in 22 different schools, and represented nine GK-12 programs in six states. The data collected in this qualitative study indicate enduring impacts on teachers and those included: affective impacts, as well as impacts on their practice, their colleagues and their professional involvement. In addition, Fellow and student impacts were reported. The teacher reports indicate that the design and goals of the GK-12 program---which is meant to impact graduate student Fellows, teachers and students---are consistent with the literature on best-practice professional development including facilitating teacher change. Thus, this program can serve as a model for designing effective professional development. A limitation of this study is that most of the data collected were from teacher reports.

A Position Paper on Teacher Competencies for Cultural Diversity in Connection with the AACTE Multicultural Education/Competency-Based Teacher Education Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wynn, Cordell

The objective of teacher education programs should be to assist prospective teachers in developing competencies needed to intervene successfully in the development of youth from diverse cultural backgrounds. This objective has a number of implications for teacher education programs and for school curriculum at all levels. Teacher education…

The Integration of English Language Development and Science Instruction in Elementary Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zwiep, Susan Gomez; Straits, William J.; Stone, Kristin R.; Beltran, Dolores D.; Furtado, Leena

2011-12-01

This paper explores one district's attempt to implement a blended science and English Language Development (ELD) elementary program, designed to provide English language learners opportunities to develop proficiency in English through participation in inquiry-based science. This process resulted in blended program that utilized a combined science/ELD lesson plan format to structure and guide teachers' efforts to use science as the context for language development. Data, collected throughout the first 2 years of the program, include teacher-generated lesson plans, observation notes, and interviews with teachers and principals. The process by which the blended program was developed, the initial implementation of the program, the resulting science/ELD lesson plan format, and teachers' perceptions about the program and its impact on their students are described.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schlang, Jodi A.

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

Innovatively Supporting Teachers' Implementation of School-Based Sex Education: Developing A Web-Based Coaching Intervention From Problem to Solution.

PubMed

Schutte, Lisette; van den Borne, Marieke; Kok, Gerjo; Meijer, Suzanne; Mevissen, Fraukje Ef

2016-07-12

Full program implementation is crucial for effectiveness but is often overlooked or insufficiently considered during development of behavioral change interventions. For school-based health promotion programs, teachers are key players in program implementation, but teacher support in this phase is mostly limited to technical support and information. To ensure optimal implementation of the Dutch school-based sexual health program Long Live Love, a Web-based coaching website was developed to support teachers in completeness and fidelity of program implementation. The aim of this paper is to provide insight into the process of systematic development of a Web-based coaching intervention to support teachers in their implementation of a school-based sexual health program. The intervention mapping (IM) protocol was applied for the development of a theory- and evidence-based intervention. The IM process begins with (1) a needs assessment, followed by (2) the formulation of change objectives, (3) the selection of theory-based intervention methods and practical applications that take the parameters for effectiveness into consideration, (4) integration of practical applications into an organized program, (5) planning for adoption, implementation, and sustainability of the program, and finally, (6) generating an evaluation plan to measure program effectiveness. Teacher's implementation behavior was characterized by inconsistently selecting parts of the program and not delivering (all) lessons as intended by program developers. Teachers, however, did not perceive this behavior as problematic, revealing the discrepancy between teacher's actual and perceived need for support in delivering Long Live Love lessons with completeness and fidelity. Teachers did, however, acknowledge different difficulties they encountered which could potentially negatively influence the quality of implementation. With the IM protocol, this Web-based coaching intervention was developed based on a concept of unobtrusive coaching, by and for teachers, to bring about change in teachers' implementation behavior. This paper provides an example of a Web-based intervention to bring about behavioral change in a target group of intermediaries who lack intrinsic motivation for coaching and who's perceptions differ from their actual problematic behavior. The IM protocol is a useful tool for guiding the scientific development of interventions and making them compatible with the needs and preferences of the target group.

Fixing Teacher Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Heather C.

2009-01-01

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

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Wei

2012-01-01

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

The Role of the Middle School Counselor in Teacher-Advisor Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henderson, Phyllis; La Forge, Jan

1989-01-01

Discusses three roles of the middle school counselor in developing, coordinating, and implementing a teacher-advisor program: (1) assessing and reporting the school's readiness for such a program; (2) establishing a teacher advisory committee; and (3) training teachers for their role as teacher-advisors. (TE)

A Conceptual Basis for Developing Common Curricula in Teacher Education Programs for Occupational Education. Graduate Studies in Education, Number 2, Volume 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Courtney, E. Wayne

The purpose of this document was to generate a rationale and a design for planning a conceptual basis for developing common curriculums in vocational teacher education training programs. A review of the literature discusses heuristic approaches to teacher education, the rational basis for common programs, empirical studies in teacher education,…

Impacting the Science Community through Teacher Development: Utilizing Virtual Learning.

PubMed

Boulay, Rachel; van Raalte, Lisa

2014-01-01

Commitment to the STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) pipeline is slowly declining despite the need for professionals in the medical field. Addressing this, the John A. Burns School of Medicine developed a summer teacher-training program with a supplemental technology-learning component to improve science teachers' knowledge and skills of Molecular Biology. Subsequently, students' skills, techniques, and application of molecular biology are impacted. Science teachers require training that will prepare them for educating future professionals and foster interest in the medical field. After participation in the program and full access to the virtual material, twelve high school science teachers completed a final written reflective statement to evaluate their experiences. Using thematic analysis, knowledge and classroom application were investigated in this study. Results were two-fold: teachers identified difference areas of gained knowledge from the teacher-training program and teachers' reporting various benefits in relation to curricula development after participating in the program. It is concluded that participation in the program and access to the virtual material will impact the science community by updating teacher knowledge and positively influencing students' experience with science.

Improve the Quality of Teaching in Your Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greene, Brenda Z.

1985-01-01

Teacher quality can be improved through teacher evaluation, intervention programs, incentives or rewards, and counseling. In the Toledo, Ohio, peer evaluation program, evaluation and staff development go hand in hand. The program was developed through a collaborative and cooperative process and uses teacher consultants to evaluate and supervise…

Effects of Classroom Management Intervention Based on Teacher Training and Performance Feedback on Outcomes of Teacher-Student Dyads in Inclusive Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akalin, Selma; Sucuoglu, Bulbin

2015-01-01

Teacher training and teacher quality are an important part of the education system, therefore there is a need for new training programs for teachers to gain new knowledge and skills and to support their professional development. In recent years, new programs have been developed to offer knowledge and experience to teachers, and different methods…

A description of a staff development program: Preparing the elementary school classroom teacher to lead environmental field trips and to use an integrated subject approach to environmental education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Egana, John Joseph

This study of the Field Trip Specialist Program (FTS) described how a professional development plan fostered change in the traditional roles of third and fourth grade teachers. Teachers that volunteered were prepared to become interpretive guides for their class on environmental field trips, integrate their basic subject areas lessons into an environmental science context, and develop their self-perception as professional educators. This qualitative study made use of quantitative data and drew on information collected over four years from surveys, interviews, classroom observations, field trip and workshop observations, focus groups, journals and assessments performed in Florida. The FTS Program attracted teachers who thought it was important for all students to understand environmental issues, and these teachers believed in integrated instruction. These beliefs were inconsistent with many aspects of school culture. FTS invited the participation of these teachers and encouraged them to take control of the program by serving as instructors and program developers. Teachers described themselves as prepared to deliver the FTS Program with a high level of motivation and relevance. They also credited the program as beneficial in preparation for the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Tests (FCAT). Teachers reported that their responsibility as field trip leaders was the primary factor motivating them to provide conscientious presentation of pre- and post-field trip lessons and thorough integration of environmental topics in basic subject area instruction. Despite the impact of the field trip leadership factor, I could not find another program in the State of Florida that required teachers to lead their own field trips. Other influential factors specific to this program were: Voluntary participation, on-site field instruction, peer instructors and program developers, high quality and task specific materials, and pre- and post-assessments for students. Factors were identified in the FTS staff development plan that could be generalized to all staff development programs. I applied the "stages of concern" from the "Concerns Based Adoption Model"(CBAM) and found FTS to be a participantcentered plan. In addition FTS set demonstrable goals that were understood and desirable for all participants. Finally FTS offered teachers opportunities to adopt leadership roles in their own staff development program.

Trends and Challenges in Teacher Preparation in Deaf Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lenihan, Susan

2010-01-01

Recent developments in deaf education are influencing teacher preparation programs, which are facing challenges in meeting the critical need for highly qualified teachers. Of approximately 65 teacher preparation programs in the United States, 11 programs focus primarily on preparing teachers to work with children who are deaf or hard of hearing…

The effects of professional development related to classroom assessment on student achievement in science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mazzie, Dawn Danielle

This study investigated the relationship between students' standardized test scores in science and (a) increases in teacher assessment literacy and (b) teacher participation in a Teacher Quality Research (TQR) project on classroom assessment. The samples for these studies were teachers from underperforming schools who volunteered to take part in a professional development program in classroom assessment. School groups were randomly assigned to the treatment group. For Study 1, teachers in the treatment received professional development in classroom assessment from a trained assessment coach. Teachers in the control received no professional development. For Study 2, teachers in Treatment 1 received professional development in classroom assessment from a trained assessment coach and teachers in Treatment 2 received professional development in classroom assessment from a facilitator with one day of training. Teachers in both groups completed a measure of assessment literacy, the Teacher Quality Research Test of Assessment Literacy Skills (TQR_TALS), prior to the beginning and then again at the conclusion of the four month professional development program. A hierarchical linear model (HLM) analysis was conducted to determine the relationship between students' standardized test scores in science and (a) increases in teacher assessment literacy and (b) teacher TQR status. Based upon these analyses, the professional development program increased teachers' assessment literacy skills; however, the professional development had no significant impact on students' achievement.

Enhancing Teacher Efficacy for Urban STEM Teachers Facing Challenges to Their Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seals, Christopher; Mehta, Swati; Berzina-Pitcher, Inese; Graves-Wolf, Leigh

2017-01-01

This paper explores challenges of teaching in relation to teachers' efficacy for 49 teachers who were part of a year-long teacher development program (PD) called the UrbanSTEM program. This program took place in an urban school district that serves over 300,000 students. This research asked if there are common challenges that urban teachers face…

Beyond teacher training: the critical role of professional development in maintaining curriculum fidelity.

PubMed

LaChausse, Robert G; Clark, Kim R; Chapple, Sabrina

2014-03-01

To examine how teacher characteristics affected program fidelity in an impact evaluation study of the Positive Prevention PLUS program, and to propose a comprehensive teacher training and professional development structure to increase program fidelity. Curriculum fidelity logs, lesson observations, and teacher surveys were used to measure teacher characteristics and implementation fidelity including adherence, adaptation, and lesson quality. Compared with non-health credentialed teachers, credential health education teachers had greater comfort and self-efficacy regarding sex-related instruction. Teacher self-efficacy and comfort were significant predictors of adherence. Implementation fidelity may be linked to teacher characteristics that can be enhanced during curriculum training. A 2-day teacher training may not adequately address teacher facilitation skills or the maintenance of institutional supports for implementing a program with fidelity and quality. A new model of comprehensive teacher training and support is offered. This new training infrastructure is intended to contribute to the school district's institutionalization of higher-quality comprehensive sexual health education and increase program fidelity. Copyright © 2014 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. All rights reserved.

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

2015-01-01

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

Developing a Modular Teacher Education Program for an R&D Center.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Guy N.; Clark, Michal C.

The R&D Center in Teacher Education at the University of Texas is attempting to make significant contributions to teacher education through the development of teacher education modules. In order to make the most of their effort, a shift in focus from project to program is needed. This paper describes the development of a conceptual focus and a…

Teacher Enactment Patterns: How Can We Help Move All Teachers to Reform-Based Inquiry Practice through Professional Development?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate high school teachers' beliefs about inquiry instruction and determine how their beliefs influenced their use of inquiry after a professional development program. Thirty-six high school science teachers participated in this study. The professional development program consisted of a 2-week summer…

The Critical Role of a Well-Articulated, Coherent Design in Professional Development: An Evaluation of a State-Wide Two-Week Program for Mathematics and Science Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saderholm, Jon; Ronau, Robert N.; Rakes, Christopher R.; Bush, Sarah B.; Mohr-Schroeder, Margaret

2017-01-01

This evaluation study examined a state-wide professional development program composed of two institutes, one for mathematics teachers and one for science teachers, each spanning two weeks. The program was designed to help teachers transform their practice to align with Common Core State Standards for Mathematics and Next Generation Science…

America Reads-Mississippi Future Teacher Corps: A Study of Program Completers' Perception of Factors Influencing the Decision to Become and Remain Classroom Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Deborah Green

2012-01-01

Despite the number of programs in Mississippi that focus on developing and training teachers, the State continues to face a critical teacher shortage. This non-experimental, ex-post facto, quantitative study investigated the America Reads-Mississippi (ARM) Future Teacher Corps (FTC) program, an AmeriCorps program in Mississippi with a mission to…

Promoting Reflexive Thinking and Adaptive Expertise through Video Capturing to Challenge Postgraduate Primary Student Teachers to Think, Know, Feel, and Act Like a Teacher

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sexton, Steven S.; Williamson-Leadley, Sandra

2017-01-01

This article reports on a study of how a 1-year, course-taught, master's level initial teacher education (ITE) program challenged primary student teachers (n = 4) in developing their sense of self-as-teacher. This study examined how the program's incorporation of video capturing technology impacted on these student teachers' development of…

Examining the Impact of Educational Technology Courses on Pre-Service Teachers' Development of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsu, Pi-Sui

2012-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the impact of educational technology courses on pre-service teachers' development of knowledge of technology integration in a teacher preparation program in the USA. The present study was conducted with eight pre-service teachers enrolled in the elementary teacher education program at a large…

Building professional identity as computer science teachers: Supporting high school computer science teachers through reflection and community building

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ni, Lijun

Computing education requires qualified computing teachers. The reality is that too few high schools in the U.S. have computing/computer science teachers with formal computer science (CS) training, and many schools do not have CS teacher at all. Moreover, teacher retention rate is often low. Beginning teacher attrition rate is particularly high in secondary education. Therefore, in addition to the need for preparing new CS teachers, we also need to support those teachers we have recruited and trained to become better teachers and continue to teach CS. Teacher education literature, especially teacher identity theory, suggests that a strong sense of teacher identity is a major indicator or feature of committed, qualified teachers. However, under the current educational system in the U.S., it could be challenging to establish teacher identity for high school (HS) CS teachers, e.g., due to a lack of teacher certification for CS. This thesis work centers upon understanding the sense of identity HS CS teachers hold and exploring ways of supporting their identity development through a professional development program: the Disciplinary Commons for Computing Educators (DCCE). DCCE has a major focus on promoting reflection on teaching practice and community building. With scaffolded activities such as course portfolio creation, peer review and peer observation among a group of HS CS teachers, it offers opportunities for CS teachers to explicitly reflect on and narrate their teaching, which is a central process of identity building through their participation within the community. In this thesis research, I explore the development of CS teacher identity through professional development programs. I first conducted an interview study with local HS CS teachers to understand their sense of identity and factors influencing their identity formation. I designed and enacted the professional program (DCCE) and conducted case studies with DCCE participants to understand how their participation in DCCE supported their identity development as a CS teacher. Overall, I found that these CS teachers held different teacher identities with varied features related to their motivation and commitment in teaching CS. I identified four concrete factors that contributed to these teachers' sense of professional identity as a CS teacher. I addressed some of these issues for CS teachers' identity development (especially the issue of lacking community) through offering professional development opportunities with a major focus on teacher reflection and community building. Results from this work indicate a potential model of supporting CS identity development, mapping the characteristics of the professional development program with particular facets of CS teacher identity. This work offers further understanding of the unique challenges that current CS teachers are facing in their CS teaching, as well as the challenges of preparing and supporting CS teachers. My findings also suggest guidelines for teacher education and professional development program design and implementation for building committed, qualified CS teachers in ways that promote the development of CS teacher identity.

Creating Cooperative Classrooms: Effects of a Two-Year Staff Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krol, Karen; Sleegers, Peter; Veenman, Simon; Voeten, Marinus

2008-01-01

In this study, the implementation effects of a staff development program on cooperative learning (CL) for Dutch elementary school teachers were studied. A pre-test-post-test non-equivalent control group design was used to investigate program effects on the instructional behaviours of teachers. Based on observations of teacher behaviour during…

Development and Evaluation of a Model-Supported Scientific Inquiry Training Program for Elementary Teachers in Indonesia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ertikanto, Chandra; Herpratiwi; Yunarti, Tina; Saputra, Andrian

2017-01-01

A teacher training program, named Model-Supported Scientific Inquiry Training Program (MSSITP) has been successfully developed to improve the inquiry skills of Indonesian elementary teachers. The skills enhanced by MSSITP are defining problems, formulating hypotheses, planning and doing investigations, drawing conclusions, and communicating the…

Developing Mathematical Thinking: Changing Teachers' Knowledge and Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brendefur, Jonathan L.; Thiede, Keith; Strother, Sam; Bunning, Kim; Peck, Duane

2013-01-01

In the present research, we evaluated the effectiveness of a multi-year professional development program in mathematics for elementary teachers. Each year the program focused on a different domain of mathematics. We found the program increased teachers' knowledge of (a) number and operations, (b) measurement and geometry, and (c) probability and…

Student Teachers' Collaborative Research: Small-Scale Research Projects during Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dobber, Marjolein; Akkerman, Sanne F.; Verloop, Nico; Vermunt, Jan D.

2012-01-01

Teacher research is increasingly described as an important aspect of professional development. In response, teacher education programs incorporate teacher research in their curricula. We report on the collaborative research processes of two groups of student teachers in a university teacher education program, focussing on elaboration and decision…

Program Development and External Assessment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minnis, D. L.

Although the development of new models is essential to the improvement of teacher preparation programs, the California system of accreditation of teacher education programs seems to hinder innovative program development and evaluation. External assessment in California is based on a discrepancy model which works best when applied to static…

The Impact of a Professional Development Program on Teachers' Understandings about Watersheds, Water Quality, and Stream Monitoring.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shepardson, Daniel P.; Harbor, Jon; Cooper, Barbara; McDonald, Jim

2002-01-01

Professional development programs should provide teachers with experiences that develop their knowledge and skills to integrate environmental field studies into their school curriculum. Reports on a professional development model that engaged teachers in designing and conducting local environmental science research projects. (Author/YDS)

The AirWaterGas Teacher Professional Development Program: Lessons Learned by Pairing Scientists and Teachers to Develop Curriculum on Global Climate Change and Regional Unconventional Oil and Gas Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gardiner, L. S.; Hatheway, B.; Rogers, J. D.; Casey, J. G.; Lackey, G.; Birdsell, D.; Brown, K.; Polmear, M.; Capps, S.; Rosenblum, J.; Sitterley, K.; Hafich, K. A.; Hannigan, M.; Knight, D.

2015-12-01

The AirWaterGas Teacher Professional Development Program, run by the UCAR Center for Science Education, brought together scientists and secondary science teachers in a yearlong program culminating in the development of curriculum related to the impacts of unconventional oil and gas development. Graduate students and research scientists taught about their research area and its relationship to oil and gas throughout three online courses during the 2015-16 school year, during which teachers and scientists engaged in active online discussions. Topics covered included climate change, oil and gas infrastructure, air quality, water quality, public health, and practices and policies relating to oil and gas development. Building upon their initial online interactions and a face-to-face meeting in March, teachers were paired with appropriate AirWaterGas team members as science advisors during a month-long residency in Boulder, Colorado. During the residency, graduate student scientists provided resources and feedback as teachers developed curriculum projects in collaboration with each other and UCAR science educators. Additionally, teachers and AirWaterGas researchers shared experiences on an oil and gas well site tour, and a short course on drilling methods with a drilling rig simulator. Here, we share lessons learned from both sides of the aisle, including initial results from program assessment conducted with the participating teachers.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaszczak, Lesia

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

Case-based Long-term Professional Development of Science Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dori, Yehudit J.; Herscovitz, Orit

2005-10-01

Reform efforts are often unsuccessful because they failed to understand that teachers play a key role in making educational reforms successful. This paper describes a long-term teacher professional development (PD) program aimed at educating and training teachers to teach interdisciplinary topics using case-based method in science. The research objective was to identify, follow and document the processes that science teachers went through as they assimilated the interdisciplinary, case-based science teaching approach. The research accompanied the PD program throughout its 3-year period. About 50 teachers, who took part in the PD program, were exposed to an interdisciplinary case-based teaching method. The research instruments included teacher portfolios, which contained projects and reflection questionnaires, classroom observations, teacher interviews, and student feedback questionnaires. The portfolios contained the projects that the teachers had carried out during the PD program, which included case studies and accompanying student activities. We found that the teachers gradually moved from exposure to new teaching methods and subject matter, through active learning and preparing case-based team projects, to interdisciplinary, active classroom teaching using the case studies they developed.

“Cancer – Educate to Prevent” – High-School Teachers, the New Promoters of Cancer Prevention Education Campaigns

PubMed Central

Barros, Ana; Moreira, Luís; Santos, Helena; Ribeiro, Nuno; Carvalho, Luís; Santos-Silva, Filipe

2014-01-01

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and thus represents a priority for national public health programs. Prevention has been assumed as the best strategy to reduce cancer burden, however most cancer prevention programs are implemented by healthcare professionals, which constrain range and educational impacts. We developed an innovative approach for cancer prevention education focused on high-school biology teachers, considered privileged mediators in the socialization processes. A training program, “Cancer, Educate to Prevent” was applied, so that the teachers were able to independently develop and implement prevention campaigns focused on students and school-related communities. The program encompassed different educational modules, ranging from cancer biology to prevention campaigns design. Fifty-four teachers were empowered to develop and implement their own cancer prevention campaigns in a population up to five thousands students. The success of the training program was assessed through quantitative evaluation – questionnaires focused on teachers' cancer knowledge and perceptions, before the intervention (pre-test) and immediately after (post-test). The projects developed and implemented by teachers were also evaluated regarding the intervention design, educational contents and impact on the students' knowledge about cancer. This study presents and discusses the results concerning the training program “Cancer, Educate to Prevent” and clearly shows a significant increase in teacher's cancer literacy (knowledge and perceptions) and teachers' acquired proficiency to develop and deliver cancer prevention campaigns with direct impact on students' knowledge about cancer. This pilot study reinforces the potential of high-school teachers and schools as cancer prevention promoters and opens a new perspective for the development and validation of cancer prevention education strategies, based upon focused interventions in restricted targets (students) through non-health professionals (teachers). PMID:24817168

"Cancer--Educate to Prevent"--high-school teachers, the new promoters of cancer prevention education campaigns.

PubMed

Barros, Ana; Moreira, Luís; Santos, Helena; Ribeiro, Nuno; Carvalho, Luís; Santos-Silva, Filipe

2014-01-01

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and thus represents a priority for national public health programs. Prevention has been assumed as the best strategy to reduce cancer burden, however most cancer prevention programs are implemented by healthcare professionals, which constrain range and educational impacts. We developed an innovative approach for cancer prevention education focused on high-school biology teachers, considered privileged mediators in the socialization processes. A training program, "Cancer, Educate to Prevent" was applied, so that the teachers were able to independently develop and implement prevention campaigns focused on students and school-related communities. The program encompassed different educational modules, ranging from cancer biology to prevention campaigns design. Fifty-four teachers were empowered to develop and implement their own cancer prevention campaigns in a population up to five thousands students. The success of the training program was assessed through quantitative evaluation--questionnaires focused on teachers' cancer knowledge and perceptions, before the intervention (pre-test) and immediately after (post-test). The projects developed and implemented by teachers were also evaluated regarding the intervention design, educational contents and impact on the students' knowledge about cancer. This study presents and discusses the results concerning the training program "Cancer, Educate to Prevent" and clearly shows a significant increase in teacher's cancer literacy (knowledge and perceptions) and teachers' acquired proficiency to develop and deliver cancer prevention campaigns with direct impact on students' knowledge about cancer. This pilot study reinforces the potential of high-school teachers and schools as cancer prevention promoters and opens a new perspective for the development and validation of cancer prevention education strategies, based upon focused interventions in restricted targets (students) through non-health professionals (teachers).

Development and evaluation of a school-based asthma educational program.

PubMed

Al Aloola, Noha Abdullah; Saba, Maya; Nissen, Lisa; Alewairdhi, Huda Abdullaziz; Alaloola, Alhnouf; Saini, Bandana

2017-05-01

To develop, implement, and evaluate the effects of a school-based asthma educational program on Saudi primary school teachers' asthma awareness and competence in delivering asthma-related first aid interventions. An asthma educational intervention program entitled "School Asthma Action Program" (SAAP) was designed based on pedagogical principles and implemented among teachers randomly selected from girls' primary schools in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This pilot study employed a pre-test/post-test experimental design. A previously tested asthma awareness questionnaire and a custom-designed asthma competence score sheet were used to evaluate the effects of the educational intervention program on teacher's asthma awareness and competence in providing asthma-related first aid interventions at schools. Forty-seven teachers from five different primary schools participated in the program. Of the 47 teachers, 39 completed both the pre- and post-program questionnaires. The SAAP improved teachers' awareness of asthma (teachers' median pre-program score was 11 (range 5-18) and their post-program score was 15 (range 7-18), p < 0.001) and their attitudes toward asthma management at schools (teachers' median pre-program score was 74 (range 15-75) and their post-program score was 75 (range 15-75), p = 0.043). Further, it improved teachers' competence in providing asthma-related first aid interventions (teachers' mean pre-program score was 1.4 ± 2.3 and their mean post-program score was 9.8 ± 0.5, p < 0.001). After completing the SAAP, a high proportion of teachers reported increased confidence in providing care to children with asthma at school. School-based asthma educational programs can significantly improve teachers' knowledge of asthma and their competence in providing asthma-related first aid interventions during emergencies.

Explore-create-share study: An evaluation of teachers as curriculum innovators in engineering education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berry, Ayora

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a curriculum design-based (CDB) professional development model on K-12 teachers' capacity to integrate engineering education in the classroom. This teacher professional development approach differs from other training programs where teachers learn how to use a standard curriculum and adopt it in their classrooms. In a CDB professional development model teachers actively design lessons, student resources, and assessments for their classroom instruction. In other science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, CDB professional development has been reported to (a) position teachers as architects of change, (b) provide a professional learning vehicle for educators to reflect on instructional practices and develop content knowledge, (c) inspire a sense of ownership in curriculum decision-making among teachers, and (d) use an instructional approach that is coherent with teachers' interests and professional goals. The CDB professional development program in this study used the Explore-Create-Share (ECS) framework as an instructional model to support teacher-led curriculum design and implementation. To evaluate the impact of the CDB professional development and associated ECS instructional model, three research studies were conducted. In each study, the participants completed a six-month CDB professional development program, the PTC STEM Certificate Program, that included sixty-two instructional contact hours. Participants learned about industry and education engineering concepts, tested engineering curricula, collaborated with K-12 educators and industry professionals, and developed project-based engineering curricula using the ECS framework. The first study evaluated the impact of the CDB professional development program on teachers' engineering knowledge, self-efficacy in designing engineering curriculum, and instructional practice in developing project-based engineering units. The study included twenty-six teachers and data was collected pre-, mid-, and post-program using teacher surveys and a curriculum analysis instrument. The second study evaluated teachers' perceptions of the ECS model as a curriculum authoring tool and the quality of the curriculum units they developed. The study included sixty-two participants and data was collected post-program using teacher surveys and a curriculum analysis instrument. The third study evaluated teachers' experiences implementing ECS units in the classroom with a focus on identifying the benefits, challenges and solutions associated with project-based engineering in the classroom. The study included thirty-one participants and data was collected using an open-ended survey instrument after teachers completed implementation of the ECS curriculum unit. Results of these three studies indicate that teachers can be prepared to integrate engineering in the classroom using a CDB professional development model. Teachers reported an increase in engineering content knowledge, improved their self-efficacy in curriculum planning, and developed high quality instructional units that were aligned to engineering design practices and STEM educational standards. The ECS instructional model was acknowledged as a valuable tool for developing and implementing engineering education in the classroom. Teachers reported that ECS curriculum design aligned with their teaching goals, provided a framework to integrate engineering with other subject-area concepts, and incorporated innovative teaching strategies. After implementing ECS units in the classroom, teachers reported that the ECS model engaged students in engineering design challenges that were situated in a real world context and required the application of interdisciplinary content knowledge and skills. Teachers also reported a number of challenges related to scheduling, content alignment, and access to resources. In the face of these obstacles, teachers presented a number of solutions that included optimization of one's teaching practice, being resource savvy, and adopting a growth mindset.

Leading the Teacher Induction and Mentoring Program. Second Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sweeny, Barry W.

2007-01-01

While resources are abundant for helping the mentor and the new teacher, very little has been written to guide the leaders of teacher and mentor development. This book provides an effective, proven model for developing, implementing, evaluating, and sustaining an induction and mentoring program that results in highly qualified teachers. A…

Analyzing Preservice Teachers' Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge Development in the Context of a Multidimensional Teacher Preparation Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shinas, Valerie Harlow; Karchmer-Klein, Rachel; Mouza, Chrystalla; Yilmaz-Ozden, Sule; Glutting, Joseph J.

2015-01-01

In this quantitative study, correlational and multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) development of 299 preservice teachers in response to the technology preparation they received during their initial teacher licensure program. Survey data were analyzed to determine the…

Promoting the Development of Mentor Teachers: Theory and Research Programs Using Guided Reflection.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reiman, Alan J.; Thies-Sprinthall, Lois

1993-01-01

Describes theory and a research program that uses guided reflection to promote the development of mentor teachers. Significant findings from a quasi-experimental study and a replication study are presented. The paper can assist teacher educators, policymakers, and school personnel who are searching for a teacher induction model. (GLR)

Staff development and secondary science teachers: Factors that affect voluntary participation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corley, Theresa Roebuck

2000-10-01

A researcher-designed survey assessed the perceptions of Alabama secondary science public school teachers toward the need for staff development and toward certain staff development strategies and programs. Factors that encouraged or discouraged attendance at voluntary staff development programs and opinions regarding effective and ineffective features of programs were identified. Data were analyzed using descriptive techniques. Percentages and frequencies were noted. Average rankings were computed for the staff development techniques considered most and least effective and for the preferred designs of future staff development offerings. Chi squares were computed to respond to each of the 4 research hypotheses. Narrative discussions and tables were utilized to report the data and provide clarification. This study related demographic information to the research hypotheses. Analysis of the research hypotheses revealed that experienced teachers agree more strongly about the features of staff development programs that they consider effective and about the factors that may affect participation in staff development programs. Analysis of the research questions revealed that secondary science teachers in Alabama agree that staff development is a personal responsibility but that the school systems are responsible for providing staff development opportunities. Teachers believe that staff development is needed annually in both science content and teaching strategies and favor lengthening the school year for staff development. Teachers identified interest level, graduate credit, ability to implement material, scheduling factors, and the reputation of the organizer as the most important factors in determining participation in voluntary staff development programs. Hands-on workshops were identified as the most effective type of voluntary staff development and teachers requested that future staff development experiences include hands-on workshops, networking, curriculum development, mentoring, support groups, training trainers, cooperative learning groups, coaching, implementing changes, and collecting resources.

Development and Implementation of Science and Technology Ethics Education Program for Prospective Science Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rhee, Hyang-yon; Choi, Kyunghee

2014-05-01

The purposes of this study were (1) to develop a science and technology (ST) ethics education program for prospective science teachers, (2) to examine the effect of the program on the perceptions of the participants, in terms of their ethics and education concerns, and (3) to evaluate the impact of the program design. The program utilized problem-based learning (PBL) which was performed as an iterative process during two cycles. A total of 23 and 29 prospective teachers in each cycle performed team activities. A PBL-based ST ethics education program for the science classroom setting was effective in enhancing participants' perceptions of ethics and education in ST. These perceptions motivated prospective science teachers to develop and implement ST ethics education in their future classrooms. The change in the prospective teachers' perceptions of ethical issues and the need for ethics education was greater when the topic was controversial.

Effectiveness of an Alternative Certification Program for the Preparation of Elementary Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Follo, Eric J.; Rivard, James J.

2009-01-01

This study focuses on the effectiveness of the alternative elementary teacher certification program at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. The program was developed in response to the projected teacher shortage, the need for teachers in subjects such as mathematics and science, the need for teachers in urban schools, and the need for…

The impact of telecommunications on science teacher professional development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hatton, Mary E.

National education reform places emphasis on teachers moving towards empowering themselves and accepting responsibility for their own professional growth. Successful teacher in-service programs foster professional development by providing support in the school context (Baird, Ellis and Kuerbis, 1989; Lieberman, 1990). Research on national reform indicates that many teachers rely on communities of networks to sustain the assistance they need (McLaughlin & Talbert, 1993). Communities of teachers develop relationships with one another to enhance their personal and professional development while collaborating with colleagues (Lieberman, 1990). However, teachers within a school or the same district rarely have opportunities for collegial interactions because of schedules, lack of support for such interactions, or lack of interest among colleagues. This research study evaluates teachers interacting as a community via the Internet. Internet technology overcomes geographic barriers and time constraints, which limit the effectiveness of professional development programs (Gal, 1993). The communication opportunities in a network, together with the coordination of program staff, create an environment that provides teachers with support following a summer program (Gal, 1993). This case study examines the structure and change in three groups of science teachers who attended summer institutes and maintained interactions through a commercial network. The activities and interactions among members in the group, and the ways in which the members interacted with one another to create a community were studied. The network provided opportunities to interact with colleagues, both privately and publicly. Dialogue from these interactions were analyzed to determine patterns of teacher discourse that evolved following an in-service program. Teachers requested support for using program materials, shared experiences, shared resources, interacted socially, and reflected on their practice. This study demonstrates that professional growth can occur when teachers interact collaboratively using telecommunications. Teachers from different summer institutes, who had never met, interacted as a community, sharing experiences, requesting assistance, and reflecting on their practice for two or more years following a summer in-service program. The findings suggest that telecommunications is an effective option for sustaining collegial interactions and providing support, as advocated by current models of professional development.

Teacher change and professional development: A case study of teachers engaged in an innovative constructivist science curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akura, Okong'o. Gabriel

This study examined both the changes that elementary school teachers experienced when they implemented a reform-based science curriculum and the impact of professional development on this transformation. The research involved a case study of three purposefully selected teachers implementing the Linking Food and the Environment (LIFE) program during the 2002--2003 school year. The LIFE program is a curriculum designed to enhance science literacy among learners from high poverty urban environments. While the study was grounded in the tradition of critical theory (Carspecken, 1996), the theoretical perspective of hermeneutic phenomenology (van Manen, 1990) guided data collection and analysis. Extensive observations of the teachers were made in order to capture and record the teacher change phenomenon. Data were recorded by means of field notes, audio and videotapes, semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and video Stimulated Recall (SR) interviews. Emerging themes relating to teacher change, knowledge interests, constructivist pedagogy, and professional development illustrated how teachers grapple with various aspects of implementing a reform-based science curriculum. The teachers in this study were similar to those in earlier investigations, which found that sustained professional development programs involving mentoring and constant reflection enable elementary science teachers to change their instructional strategies from the technical-realist orientation towards the practical-hermeneutic and emancipatory-liberatory orientations. The study has implications for science curriculum developers and designers of professional development programs.

Perceived Effectiveness of Professional Development Programs of Teachers at Higher Education Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malik, Sufiana Khatoon; Nasim, Uzma; Tabassum, Farkhanda

2015-01-01

The major purpose of the study was to assess the perceived effectiveness of professional development programs of teachers at higher educational level. The objectives of the study were: "to assess university level teachers'" opinion about effectiveness of professional development training with reference to quality teaching, to measure…

From "Hesitant" to "Environmental Leader": The Influence of a Professional Development Program on the Environmental Citizenship of Preschool Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spektor-Levy, Ornit; Abramovich, Anat

2017-01-01

This study investigated the influence that the "Environmental Leadership Professional Development" program had on preschool teachers. The program's aim is to enhance environmental awareness, thus developing environmental citizenship and leadership. The program offered experiential and reflective learning, meetings with environmental…

Expansion of Biology Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) During a Long-Term Professional Development Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rozenszajn, Ronit; Yarden, Anat

2014-02-01

Experienced teachers possess a unique teaching knowledge comprised of an inter-related set of knowledge and beliefs that gives direction and justification to a teacher's actions. This study examined the expansion of two components of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) of three in-service teachers in the course of a professional development program aimed at designing new teaching and learning materials suggested by the teachers themselves. The research presents an enlargement of previous PCK representations by focusing on a detailed representation of two main PCK domains: teaching and learning, including ten PCK components that emerged in the course of data analysis. This representation enabled revealing the unique PCK held by each teacher and to characterize the expansion of the two components of the participating teachers' PCK during the long-term professional development program. Retention of major parts of the expanded PCK a year after termination of the program implies that designing and implementing new teaching and learning materials based on the teachers' experiences, needs, and knowledge in a workshop format accompanied by biology and science education courses might provide a powerful means for PCK expansion. We recommend that designers of professional development programs be aware of the unique PCK held by each teacher in order to promote meaningful professional development of each teacher. Moreover, the PCK representations that were identified in the course of this study enabled clarifying the "orientation toward teaching science" category of PCK which appears to be unclear in current literature.

Quality Science Teacher Professional Development and Student Achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dubner, J.

2007-12-01

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

Effects of a Teacher Professional Development Program on Science Teachers' Views about Using Computers in Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Çetin, Nagihan Imer

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine science teachers' level of using computers in teaching and the impact of a teacher professional development program (TPDP) on their views regarding utilizing computers in science education. Forty-three in-service science teachers from different regions of Turkey attended a 5 day TPDP. The TPDP was…

Initial Attempts at Developing Appropriate Human Relations Experiences for Potential Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calliotte, James A.

This paper traces the development of a human relations program as part of the teacher education curriculum at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. Four approaches are presented--a basic encounter model, a cognitive model, a programed unit, and a final integrated model that is now being employed in the teacher education program. Each model…

Examining How Teachers Use Graphs to Teach Mathematics during a Professional Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bautista, Alfredo; Cañadas, María C.; Brizuela, Bárbara M.; Schliemann, Analúcia D.

2015-01-01

There are urgent calls for more studies examining the impact of Professional Development (PD) programs on teachers' instructional practices. In this study, we analyzed how grades 5-9 mathematics teachers used graphs to teach mathematics at the start and end of a PD program. This topic is relevant because while many studies have investigated…

Education for Sustainable Development: The Impact of an Out-Door Program on Student Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zacharious, Aravella; Valanides, Nicos

2006-01-01

The study used an outdoor program for promoting Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in primary education and investigated the extent to which primary student teachers were prepared to deal with ESD. It also investigated the impact of an outdoor program on primary student teachers' knowledge and attitudes towards sustainable issues, and on…

Preparing Science Specific Mentors: A Look at One Successful Georgia Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Upson, Leslie; Koballa, Thomas; Gerber, Brian

The state of Georgia has developed the Teacher Support Specialist Program to assist prospective mentors as they begin the process of preparing to provide support and guidance to those new to the profession. Successful completion of this program for either staff development units or college credit enables Georgia teachers to add the teacher support…

78 FR 66905 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Evaluating the Retired Mentors for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-07

...; Comment Request; Evaluating the Retired Mentors for Teachers Program AGENCY: Institute of Education... considered public records. Title of Collection: Evaluating the Retired Mentors for Teachers Program. OMB... study of the Retired Mentors for New Teachers program for probationary teachers developed by the Aurora...

TTIP: Texas Teacher Internship Program 1994 Curriculum Implementation Plans.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walenta, Brian T., Ed.

The Texas Teacher Internship Program (TTIP) is a competitive program for science, technology and mathematics teachers who serve as summer interns at industry and university sites in order to experience real world applications of the subjects they teach. This document contains curriculum implementation plans developed by the teachers to illustrate…

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2005-12-01

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

Teacher Leadership Program Readiness Surveys. Toolkit/Guide

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finster, Matthew

2016-01-01

Federal initiatives, such as the Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF), encourage school districts to develop teacher leadership (TL) roles and use funds to provide incentives for teachers to fill them. Before starting a teacher leader program, school districts should assess whether their current conditions are favorable to implementing teacher leader…

Development of Teachers as Scientists in Research Experiences for Teachers Programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faber, Courtney; Hardin, Emily; Klein-Gardner, Stacy; Benson, Lisa

2014-11-01

This study examined the teachers' development as scientists for participants in three National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Teachers. Participants included secondary science and math teachers with varying levels of education and experience who were immersed in research environments related to engineering and science topics. Teachers' functionality as scientists was assessed in terms of independence, focus, relationships with mentors, structure, and ability to create new concepts. Hierarchies developed within these constructs allowed tracking of changes in functionality throughout the 6-week programs. Themes were further identified in teachers' weekly journal entries and exit interviews through inductive coding. Increases in functionality as scientists were observed for all teachers who completed both the program and exit interview ( n = 27). Seven of the 27 teachers reached high science functionality; however, three of the teachers did not reach high functionality in any of the constructs during the program. No differences were observed in demographics or teaching experience between those who did and did not reach high functionality levels. Inductive coding revealed themes such as teachers' interactions with mentors and connections made between research and teaching, which allowed for descriptions of experiences for teachers at high and low levels of functionality. Teachers at high functionality levels adjusted to open-ended environments, transitioned from a guided experience to freedom, felt useful in the laboratory, and were self-motivated. In contrast, teachers at low functionality levels did not have a true research project, primarily focused on teaching aspects of the program, and did not display a transition of responsibilities.

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Jennifer L.; Green, Kathy E.

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

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

2010-01-01

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

Pre-Service Teachers' Development of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) in the Context of a Secondary Science Teacher Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Habowski, Thomas; Mouza, Chrystalla

2014-01-01

This study investigates pre-service teachers' TPACK development in a secondary science teacher education program that combined a content-specific technology integration course with extensive field experience. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected. Quantitative data were collected through a pre-post administration of the…

Master Teachers as Professional Developers: Managing Conflicting Versions of Professionalism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

2014-01-01

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

[Teacher Preparation Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Immaculate Heart Coll., Los Angeles, CA.

Immaculate Heart College, Los Angeles, California developed a self-initiated and self-directed curriculum in the Teacher Preparation Program. The curriculum was based on a spiral planning model. Emphasis was placed on continuous evaluation, exploration of the learning experience, development of experimental teacher training experiences in the…

Teachers' Perceptions of School Organizational Climate as Predictors of Dosage and Quality of Implementation of a Social-Emotional and Character Development Program.

PubMed

Malloy, Margaret; Acock, Alan; DuBois, David L; Vuchinich, Samuel; Silverthorn, Naida; Ji, Peter; Flay, Brian R

2015-11-01

Organizational climate has been proposed as a factor that might influence a school's readiness to successfully implement school-wide prevention programs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of teachers' perceptions of three dimensions of school organizational climate on the dosage and quality of teacher implementation of Positive Action, a social-emotional and character development (SECD) program. The dimensions measured were teachers' perceptions of (a) the school's openness to innovation, (b) the extent to which schools utilize participatory decision-making practices, and (c) the existence of supportive relationships among teachers (teacher-teacher affiliation). Data from 46 teachers in seven schools enrolled in the treatment arm of a longitudinal, cluster-randomized, controlled trial were analyzed. Teacher perceptions of a school's tendency to be innovative was associated with a greater number of lessons taught and self-reported quality of delivery, and teacher-teacher affiliation was associated with a higher use of supplementary activities. The findings suggest that perceptions of a school's organizational climate impact teachers' implementation of SECD programs and have implications for school administrators and technical assistance providers as they work to implement and sustain prevention programs in schools.

"Prime Online": Developing Grades 3-5 Teachers' Content Knowledge for Teaching Mathematics in an Online Professional Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pape, Stephen J.; Prosser, Sherri K.; Griffin, Cynthia C.; Dana, Nancy Fichtman; Algina, James; Bae, Jungah

2015-01-01

This study sought to identify components of an asynchronous online teacher professional development program, "Prime Online," that potentially affected participants' mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT). Twenty-three third- through fifth-grade general education and special education teachers completed a yearlong online teacher…

Participatory Staff Development: Lessons from Peers. Special Demonstration Project. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lutheran Social Mission Society, Philadelphia, PA. Lutheran Settlement House.

Staff development workshops for teachers, tutors, and supervisors were conducted at the Lutheran Settlement House Women's Program. Staff and teachers were surveyed to ascertain staff development needs. Workshops were unique in that they were presented by peer teachers and supervisory staff of the program and invited all participants to share ideas…

Promoting Student-Teacher Interactions: Exploring a Peer Coaching Model for Teachers in a Preschool Setting.

PubMed

Johnson, Stacy R; Finlon, Kristy J; Kobak, Roger; Izard, Carroll E

2017-07-01

Peer coaching provides an attractive alternative to traditional professional development for promoting classroom quality in a sustainable, cost-effective manner by creating a collaborative teaching community. This exploratory study describes the development and evaluation of the Colleague Observation And CoacHing (COACH) program, a peer coaching program designed to increase teachers' effectiveness in enhancing classroom quality in a preschool Head Start setting. The COACH program consists of a training workshop on coaching skills and student-teacher interactions, six peer coaching sessions, and three center meetings. Pre-post observations of emotional support, classroom organization, and instructional support using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System of twelve classrooms assigned to peer coaching were compared to twelve control classrooms at baseline and following the intervention. Findings provide preliminary support that the peer coaching program is perceived as acceptable and feasible by the participating preschool teachers and that it may strengthen student-teacher interactions. Further program refinement and evaluation with larger samples is needed to enhance student-teacher interactions and, ultimately, children's adaptive development.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Teacher Career Development Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schlechty, Phillip C.; And Others

1985-01-01

Effective training, evaluation, and incentives are key aspects of this school system's six-level career ladder program for teacher development. The three-pronged committee structure for planning and communication and the program's ownership by everyone involved have been vital to its successful planning and development. (DCS)

The Negative and Positive Characteristics of Teacher Technology Professional Development Programs in Relation to Efficient Classroom Integration and Knowledge of Interactive Whiteboards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bey, Marie A.

2012-01-01

The key to educational reform is the well-prepared teacher. Giving the teacher continuous, immediate, and supported access to interactive whiteboard (IWB) professional development programs (PDPs) is necessary for creating the potential for deep and sustained changes of the educational programs. This qualitative case study explored the negative and…

An Investigation of the Relationship between Factors of Beginning Teachers' Development within a Mentor-Based Induction Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, James Kenny

2017-01-01

This dissertation was a quantitative, correlational study that examined the impact of the mentor component of a mentor-based induction program on three factors of new teacher development and support. The focus of this study was on beginning teachers participating in a district-supported mentoring program designed to support and acclimate teachers…

From professional development for science teachers to student learning in science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tinoca, Luis Fonseca

This study investigates the effects of professional development for science teachers on student learning. It is usually expected that professional development programs positively impact student learning, however this dimension is not commonly incorporated in the programs evaluation. It is simply assumed that students will be indirectly impacted through their participating teachers in the work with their students. Two main research questions are addressed: (1) Are professional development programs effective in enhancing student learning in science? (2) What are the characteristics of the most and least effective programs? To answer these questions a meta-analysis of 37 professional development programs reporting their impact on student learning was performed. Program characteristics have been defined according to the categories defined by Loucks-Horsley et al (1998), the National Science Education Standards (NRC, 1996), as well as new categories developed by us analyzing other variables such as the programs length. A significant impact of professional development for science teachers on student learning has been found in the form of an overall correlation effect size of r = 0.22 (p < 0.001). Moreover, a Fixed Effects Model was used to differentiate between the impacts of the different characteristics of professional development programs for science teachers. In particular, programs emphasizing work on curriculum development, replacement, or implementation, scientific inquiry, pedagogical content knowledge, lasting over 6 month and with a total duration of at least 100 hours have been identified as having a larger impact on student learning. To enhance the findings vignettes have been developed based on the attained effect sizes describing possible professional development programs. Recommendations for present and future professional development programs are made based on what works best in order to maximize their impact on student learning.

Perspectives and Practices of Graduates of an Urban Teacher Residency Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tricarico, Katie M.

2012-01-01

Many traditional university-based and alternative route teacher preparation programs have been developed to prepare new teachers to work in urban, high minority, and high-poverty classrooms. There is little literature that documents the outcomes of these programs designed specifically for urban environments or the practices of teachers who…

A Mentoring Program Drills down on the Common Core

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Emily; Sinclair, Steve; Gschwend, Laura

2015-01-01

The Santa Cruz/Silicon Valley New Teacher Project--under the aegis of the New Teacher Center--devised a program to train teacher mentors to help new teachers incorporate the Common Core standards into their teaching. The three-year program yielded five critical lessons: Mentors need ongoing support to develop their readiness and willingness to…

An Engineering Research Program for High School Science Teachers: Year Two Changes and Results

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeJong, Brian P.; Yelamarthi, Kumar; Kaya, Tolga

2016-01-01

The research experiences for teachers program at Central Michigan University was initiated to team in-service and pre-service teachers with undergraduate engineering students and engineering faculty, in an engineering research setting. During the six-week program, teachers learn engineering concepts and develop high-school instructional material…

Systems for Program Change in Teacher Education. Teacher Education Forum; Volume 3, Number 18.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beckner, Weldon E.; Medley, Gene W.

Current trends in teacher education are characterized by programs designed to emphasize approaches to learning which are competency based, field centered, and individualized. Presently few colleges and universitites have progressed very far in the development and implementation of these innovative teacher education programs. This study presents…

Exploratory Comparisons from the Field: Study of Students from Two Teacher Credentialing Programs of Cross-Cultural, Language, and Academic Development (Professional Development Schools and Regular Teacher Education Programs).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Torrez, Nena

This paper discusses development of the Crosscultural, Language, and Academic Development (CLAD) credential in California's preservice teacher education. CLAD focuses on first and second language development, educational equity, linguistic and cultural diversity, equal access to core curriculum, respect for cultural and linguistic issues,…

Developing Mentorship Skills in Clinical Faculty: A Best Practices Approach to Supporting Beginning Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Dara M.; Hughes, Michelle A.; Thelk, Amy D.

2017-01-01

Effective mentoring programs help to recruit new teachers and improve teacher retention rates (e.g. Ingersoll & Strong, 2011, Rideout & Windle, 2010). Many school districts require mentoring programs for new teachers; however, they do not always have the resources to prepare their teachers to mentor beginning teachers. Clinical faculty…

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sabella, Mel S.

2007-02-01

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

Identifying Program Characteristics for Preparing Pre-Service Teachers for Diversity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akiba, Motoko

2011-01-01

Background/Context: Educating pre-service teachers to develop multicultural awareness, knowledge, and skills for teaching diverse students is a major responsibility of teacher education program coordinators and teacher educators. Numerous studies have discussed and explored the characteristics of teacher preparation that improve pre-service…

EXPLORATORY STUDY AND PLANNING FOR A FOURTH-YEAR, PAID INTERNSHIP TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR BOTH ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY TEACHERS. FINAL REPORT.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

RYERSON, NORMAN E.

THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COOPERATIVE COLLEGE-UNIVERSITY GRADUATE STUDY PROGRAM, THE AUGMENTATION OF A PAID FOURTH-YEAR INTERNSHIP APPROACH IN A TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM WAS EXPLORED. STEPS INCLUDED--(1) INVOLVEMENT OF THE FACULTY IN AN EVALUATION OF THE TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM AND THE COLLEGE CURRICULUM, (2) CHANGING WEEKLY SCHEDULES AND THE…

Combined Credential Programs: Pedagogic, Practical, and Ideological Concerns

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Kathryn S.

2011-01-01

The number of teacher education programs combining general and special education teacher certification is growing. In spite of this increase, little has been known about how these programs impact preservice teachers' (PSTs) developing professional identities. This article uses a case study of one newly implemented combined credential program at a…

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.

Professional Development Processes That Promote Teacher Change: The Case of a Video-Based Program Focused on Leveraging Students' Mathematical Errors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santagata, Rossella; Bray, Wendy

2016-01-01

This study examined processes at the core of teacher professional development (PD) experiences that might positively impact teacher learning and more specifically teacher change. Four processes were considered in the context of a PD program focused on student mathematical errors: analysis of students' mathematical misconceptions as a lever for…

Learning to Get It Right: Understanding Change Processes in Professional Development for Teachers of English Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choi, Daniel Sung-Yeol; Morrison, Peggy

2014-01-01

A professional development program for US teachers in the state of Oregon was the context in which this study took place. This five-year hybrid (online and face-to-face) program assisted experienced teachers to adapt their practice to meet the needs of language minority and immigrant students. The positive changes in teacher perceptions and…

Secretary's Discretionary Program: Planning Grant To Develop Teacher Incentive Projects. Final Report. Support for Innovative Teacher Projects.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gittman, Elizabeth; Gottlieb, Karen

Support for Innovative Teacher Projects was a 12-month program implemented by the Board of Cooperative Education Services (BOCES) of Nassau County, New York, designed to encourage and assist teachers in developing innovative projects in priority areas and in applying for funding. In collaboration with a university school of education, the project…

The Design of Video-Based Professional Development: An Exploratory Experiment Intended to Identify Effective Features

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beisiegel, Mary; Mitchell, Rebecca; Hill, Heather C.

2018-01-01

Although video cases and video clubs have become popular forms of teacher professional development, there have been few systematic investigations of designs for such programs. Programs may vary according to (a) whether teachers watch videos of their own/their peers' instruction, or whether teachers watch stock video of unknown teachers; and (b)…

Developing Reflective Practice in Pre-Service Student Teachers: What Does Art Have to Do with It?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Sara McCormick

2005-01-01

Developing reflective practice in pre-service student teachers is a goal of many teacher education programs. This article describes three activities used in a graduate teacher education program that were designed to use an arts focus to provoke deeper reflection about teaching and learning. Clay tiles were used for illustrating personal metaphors…

A professional development study of technology education in secondary science teaching in Benin: Issues of teacher change and self-efficacy beliefs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelani, Razacki Raphael E. D.

This study has two purposes. The practical purpose of the study was to provide Benin middle school science teachers with an effective technology education professional development (TEPD) program which granted teachers with content knowledge in technology education (TE), PCK in TE, design hands-on models in TE, and design rubrics assessing students' works. The research purpose of the study was to explore teachers' TE content knowledge and PCK, changes in teachers' self-efficacy beliefs in teaching the TE portion of the curriculum, and teachers' perceptions of their TEPD experience after participating in the program. Four sessions of the TEPD program were carried out with two groups of teachers (N = 23 & 28). A mixed methods research design was utilized to collect data. Pre-experimental one-group pretest-posttest research design was used to collect quantitative data. Two instruments, the technology education teacher self-efficacy beliefs instrument (TETEBI) and the TE Awareness instrument, were designed. The qualitative research design employed a case study with participating teachers' after-session journals and after-session evaluation, classroom observations, teachers' and students' interviews. Overall results of the study revealed that the TEPD program impacted positively participating teachers. Salient results indicated that (1) the TEPD program was effective; (2) although quantitative analysis was inconclusive, through documents analysis, teachers' self-efficacy beliefs were enhanced after participating in the program; (3) teachers did acquire TE content knowledge and PCK; (4) teachers were effectively teaching the TE lessons integrated in the science curriculum; and (5) teachers expressed positive perceptions about the program and acknowledged its soundness, relevancy and effectiveness. Other characteristics of effective PD have been founded such as trainers' expertise and consideration of cultural and contextual issues of the trainees. Interpretations of the results led to ten educational implications that could improve TE teaching in secondary school settings in Benin, as well as in other developing countries with similar features. Finally, five recommendations were made for further investigations.

Integrating Laptop Computers into Classroom: Attitudes, Needs, and Professional Development of Science Teachers—A Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klieger, Aviva; Ben-Hur, Yehuda; Bar-Yossef, Nurit

2010-04-01

The study examines the professional development of junior-high-school teachers participating in the Israeli "Katom" (Computer for Every Class, Student and Teacher) Program, begun in 2004. A three-circle support and training model was developed for teachers' professional development. The first circle applies to all teachers in the program; the second, to all teachers at individual schools; the third to teachers of specific disciplines. The study reveals and describes the attitudes of science teachers to the integration of laptop computers and to the accompanying professional development model. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight science teachers from the four schools participating in the program. The interviews were analyzed according to the internal relational framework taken from the information that arose from the interviews. Two factors influenced science teachers' professional development: (1) Introduction of laptops to the teachers and students. (2) The support and training system. Interview analysis shows that the disciplinary training is most relevant to teachers and they are very interested in belonging to the professional science teachers' community. They also prefer face-to-face meetings in their school. Among the difficulties they noted were the new learning environment, including control of student computers, computer integration in laboratory work and technical problems. Laptop computers contributed significantly to teachers' professional and personal development and to a shift from teacher-centered to student-centered teaching. One-to-One laptops also changed the schools' digital culture. The findings are important for designing concepts and models for professional development when introducing technological innovation into the educational system.

Exploring EFL Teachers' CALL Knowledge and Competencies: In-Service Program Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Mei-Hui; Kleinsasser, Robert C.

2015-01-01

This article describes quantitative and qualitative data providing perspectives on how six English as a Foreign Language (EFL) vocational high school teachers perceived CALL knowledge and competencies in a yearlong technology-enriched professional development program. The teachers' developing technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) and…

From the Tightrope: Designing, Developing, and Delivering an Alternative Teacher Education Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yancey, Patty

2006-01-01

In the fall of 2003 a number of factors came together to create a fertile environment for developing an alternative, pre-service teacher education model. The overarching goal of the model is to diversify a rural university's credential program(s) by developing and offering alternative paths toward teacher certification within the constraints of a…

ICT and Language Teacher Development in the Global South: A New Materialist Discourse Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anwaruddin, Sardar M.

2016-01-01

In this article, I present insights from a discourse analytic study in which I examined publications that emerged from a teacher development program in Bangladesh. The program, known as English in Action, utilizes information and communication technologies to deliver professional development activities to English-language teachers. Now in its 8th…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tosa, Sachiko; Martin, Fred

2010-01-01

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

Evaluation of an Inservice Program for Earth Science Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mayer, Victor J.; And Others

1975-01-01

Reports on the evaluation of an earth science inservice program designed to (1) improve teachers' understandings of principles and concepts, (2) assist teachers in the use of investigatory techniques for teaching, (3) assist teachers in developing and implementing laboratory-oriented courses and (4) instruct teachers in techniques of self…

Improving Preservice Teachers' Expression in Read-Alouds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kerry-Moran, Kelli Jo

2016-01-01

Read-alouds play an important role in young children's literacy development. Teacher education programs include read-alouds as part of balanced literacy instruction and many preservice teachers are required to read aloud to others in their teacher education programs. There are many excellent resources teacher educators may use to help preservice…

Reflective Education as a Means of Changing Teacher Trainers' Attitudes towards Universal Values in the Education System of the Developing Society

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Essawi, Mohammad; Abu-Hussain, Jamal; Fadila, Dalia

2014-01-01

The proposed intervention program's aim was to change teacher trainers' attitudes towards universal values. The program takes into account the unique cultural context of the developing society. The goal of the program was to reduce the gap between declared teacher trainers' attitudes and their actual attitudes towards universal values in the…

Creating Leaders through the Teacher Learning and Leadership Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pearce, Kyle

2015-01-01

Leadership is a skill that can be learned through professional development, mentoring, and leadership development programs. In Ontario, the Teacher Learning and Leadership Program (TLLP) helps educators develop their leadership skills through a Ministry of Education--funded project that addresses student learning needs in their classrooms. This…

A standards-based formative evaluation of a national professional development program for science teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raphael, Carol Greco

2002-09-01

The 1996 National Science Education Standards provided educators and policy makers with a major impetus for constructive change in science education. The Standards not only specified what science content should be taught, but also provided organization for future science curricula. A major theme that pervades the Standards is that the classroom teacher is the most important component of classroom change and that reform efforts should be directed at improving the teaching of science through professional development for science teachers. In response to the National Science Education Standards, the Science Teachers Organization (pseudonym) prepared a professional development program for science teachers that was intended to acquaint teachers with the Standards and bring about reform of science teaching by changing teachers' instructional strategies and procedures. This program, named Preparing Schools for Science (PSS), was designed for use in all of the 50 states, but was first introduced in a southwestern state referred to as Utopia in this dissertation. Using the Provus Method of Discrepancy Evaluation, a design and installation audit of the Preparing Schools for Science Program was performed. Suggestions for program improvement, as well as a complete evaluation design for the PSS Program, were presented. Specific program modifications suggested by the research included an improved organization of personnel to monitor and supervise the program, more sustained professional development workshops, a stronger network of support for teachers. Five major implications for future professional development programs emerge from this research. (1) A needs analysis should be conducted before a program is designed in order to ensure that the program meet the needs of those for whom it is intended. (2) The length and type of training are the most important factors in ensuring that teachers have sufficient time to incorporate and learn how to use new ideas. (3) Additional personnel are needed to conduct the training and follow-up with the Points of Contact (POCs) in the Program. (4) Financial support for the Key Leaders who serve as trainers of the points of contact is needed to provide the means for the key leaders to fully implement the program and maintain contact with the POCs. (5) The program should have a thorough and well-planned evaluation design, and data collection should be done in a timely fashion by a skilled evaluator.

Assessing Education Program Learning Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bahous, Rima; Nabhani, Mona

2011-01-01

Teacher education programs help teachers gain knowledge and skills, develop "new" attitudes, and impact their beliefs about teaching, thereby favorably affecting teaching outcomes. In the absence of national standards and formal studies in Lebanon of existing teacher preparation programs, findings of this study could greatly contribute…

Identity Development in TAs and Tutors: From Preparation to Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bright, Alison Sarah

2010-01-01

This study examines how graduate teaching assistants of composition and peer and professional tutors of writing develop their identities as teacher and tutors in preparation programs. Research in teacher education programs indicates that when preparatory sessions highlight the concept of teacher identity in the preparation of K-12 teacher…

The Role of Teachers' Guided Reflection in Effecting Positive Program Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vogt, Lynn Allington; Au, Kathryn H. P.

1995-01-01

Examines the evolution of teacher support and development in the Kamehameha Elementary Education Program (KEEP) and Rough Rock Community School collaboration. Ongoing teacher development featured regular classroom observation and feedback with mentors and peers and self-reflection through videotaping and journal writing. (two references) (MDM)

Changes in teacher efficacy and beliefs during a one-year teacher preparation program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lockman, Alison Schirmer

This study attempted to further understanding of factors affecting the teacher efficacy beliefs of secondary science preservice teachers, and to develop a model relating teacher efficacy to beliefs about teaching and students. A mixed quantitative and qualitative methodology was utilized in order to track participants' beliefs both broadly and in depth throughout a one-year teacher preparation program. Results from this analysis revealed that preservice teachers at the end of the program had significantly higher personal science teaching efficacy beliefs than at the beginning of the program. No significant difference in science teaching outcome expectancy beliefs was found, although individual preservice teachers did develop alternate beliefs. Teacher efficacy beliefs were directly affected by three of Bandura's four sources of self-efficacy beliefs---Mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, and verbal persuasion---with the influence of each source of self-efficacy information appearing to change during the course of the teacher preparation program. No evidence was found that affective states by themselves had resulted in belief changes, although many of the other experiences were more powerful because they were accompanied by an emotional incident. Connections between teacher efficacy beliefs, beliefs about students, and beliefs about teaching were uncovered, as was the importance of content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge on a teacher's sense of efficacy.

Ensuring Opportunities for the Professional Development of Teachers. Innovation and Reform in Teacher Education for the 21st Century in the Asia-Pacific Region. Seminar Report (Hiroshima, Japan, September 1998).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tabata, Yoshinori, Ed.; Griek, Lyckle, Ed.

This is the second seminar report in the sixth cycle of the UNESCO-APEID (Asia-Pacific Program of Educational Innovation for Development) Program on Innovation and Reform in Teacher Education for the 21st Century in the Asia-Pacific Region. The seminar focused on ensuring opportunities for the professional development of teachers. Experts from 10…

Determining the Computer Literacy Levels of Vocational Teachers in Southern Nevada and Developing a Computer In-Service Program for Vocational Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pomeroy, James L.

A study was conducted to achieve the following objectives: (1) to determine the computer skills level of the vocational teachers in Southern Nevada; (2) to design a computer literacy inservice program targeting the specific instructional needs of vocational teachers with deficient skills; (3) to develop a plan for evaluating the inservice training…

Preparing Teachers to Use GIS: The Impact of a Hybrid Professional Development Program on Teachers' Use of GIS

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Steven; Haviland, Don; Moore, William; Tran, Michael

2016-01-01

This article reports the findings of a 3-year study of a hybrid professional development program designed to prepare science and mathematics teachers to implement GIS in their classrooms. The study was conducted as part of the CoastLines Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers project funded by the National Science Foundation.…

Motivating Teachers to Enact Free-Choice Project-Based Learning in Science and Technology (PBLSAT): Effects of a Professional Development Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fallik, Orna; Eylon, Bat-Sheva; Rosenfeld, Sherman

2008-01-01

We investigated the effects of a long-term, continuous professional development (CPD) model, designed to support teachers to enact Project-Based Learning (PBLSAT). How do novice PBLSAT teachers view their acquisition of PBLSAT skills and how do expert PBLSAT teachers, who enacted the program 5-7 years, perceive the program? Novice teachers…

A Teacher-Focused Approach to Prevent and Reduce Students' Aggressive Behavior

PubMed Central

Orpinas, Pamela; Home, Arthur M.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this article is to describe the GREAT (Guiding Responsibility and Expectations for Adolescents for Today and Tomorrow) Teacher Program, a prevention program for middle school teachers to deter students' aggressive behavior. It was developed on the basis of an ecologic understanding of aggression and on specific constructs of Social Cognitive Theory. The goals of the program were (1) to increase teacher awareness of different types of aggression, risk factors, role of the classroom teacher, and influence of the school climate on the child's behavior; (2) to develop strategies that will prevent aggression; (3) to improve teacher management skills to reduce power struggles and aggression; and (4) to enhance skills to assist students who are the targets of aggression. To accomplish these goals, teachers participated in a 12-hour workshop and 10 support group sessions. Training, manuals, and supervision were provided to maintain program integrity and to assure the quality of implementation. PMID:14732185

Memphis State University's New Five-year Program For the Initial Preparation of Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saunders, Robert L.

A description is presented of a new extended teacher education program at Memphis State University. Instituted in 1985, the program has four objectives: (1) to develop and implement an extended (five-year) program covering all areas of teacher preparation, with institutional recommendation for certification coming only after completion of the…

Understanding science teacher enhancement programs: Essential components and a model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spiegel, Samuel Albert

Researchers and practioners alike recognize that "the national goal that every child in the United States has access to high-quality school education in science and mathematics cannot be realized without the availability of effective professional development of teachers" (Hewson, 1997, p. 16). Further, there is a plethora of reports calling for the improvement of professional development efforts (Guskey & Huberman, 1995; Kyle, 1995; Loucks-Horsley, Hewson, Love, & Stiles, 1997). In this study I analyze a successful 3-year teacher enhancement program, one form of professional development, to: (1) identify essential components of an effective teacher enhancement program; and (2) create a model to identify and articulate the critical issues in designing, implementing, and evaluating teacher enhancement programs. Five primary sources of information were converted into data: (1) exit questionnaires, (2) exit surveys, (3) exit interview transcripts, (4) focus group transcripts, and (5) other artifacts. Additionally, a focus group was used to conduct member checks. Data were analyzed in an iterative process which led to the development of the list of essential components. The Components are categorized by three organizers: Structure (e.g., science research experience, a mediator throughout the program), Context (e.g., intensity, collaboration), and Participant Interpretation (e.g., perceived to be "safe" to examine personal beliefs and practices, actively engaged). The model is based on: (1) a 4-year study of a successful teacher enhancement program; (2) an analysis of professional development efforts reported in the literature; and (3) reflective discussions with implementors, evaluators, and participants of professional development programs. The model consists of three perspectives, cognitive, symbolic interaction, and organizational, representing different viewpoints from which to consider issues relevant to the success of a teacher enhancement program. These perspectives influence and are examined across three settings, program, individual, and school. An over-arching theme, namely the content focus of the program, such as the teaching and learning of science illuminate both the perspectives and the settings. While the model was developed to understand and evaluate a specific program, it is hypothesized that it can be a powerful tool for designing and implementing a variety of programs.

Community development in a Research Experience for Teachers (RET) program: Teacher growth and translation of the experience back to the classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnston, Carol Suzanne Chism

This qualitative study explores how a scientific research experience helped seven secondary science teachers to grow professionally. The design of this Research Experience for Teachers (RET) program emphasized having teachers become members of university scientific research communities---participating in experimental design, data collection, analysis, and presenting of findings---in order to have a better understanding of research science. I conducted individual interviews with teacher and scientist participants, visited the teachers in their laboratories, videotaped classroom visits, and videotaped group meetings during the summers to learn what teachers brought back to their classrooms about the processes of science. I examined the teachers' views of research science, views shaped by their exposure to research science under the mentorship of a scientist participant. The teachers observed the collaborative efforts of research scientists and experienced doing scientific research, using technology and various experimental methods. Throughout their two-year experience, the teachers continually refined their images of scientists. I also examined how teachers in this program built a professional community as they developed curricula. Further, I investigated what the teachers brought from their experiences back to the classroom, deciding on a theme of "Communicating Science" as a way to convey aspects of scientific inquiry to students. Teacher growth as a result of this two-year program included developing more empathy for student learning and renewing their enthusiasm for both learning and teaching science. Teacher growth also included developing curricula to involve students in behaving as scientists. The teachers identified a few discrete communication practices of scientists that they deemed appropriate for students to adopt to increase their communication skills. Increased community building in classes to model scientific communities was seen as a way to motivate students and to help them to understand scientific concepts.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cavoly, Denise Y.

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

Transfer of training through a science education professional development program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sowards, Alan Bosworth

Educational research substantiates that effective professional development models must be developed in order for reform-based teaching strategies to be implemented in classrooms. This study examined the effectiveness of an established reform-based science education professional development program, Project LIFE. The study investigated what impact Project LIFE had on participants implementation of reform-based instruction in their classroom three years after participation in the science inservice program. Participants in the case studies described use of reform-based instruction and program factors that influenced transfer of training to their classrooms. Subjects of the study were 5th--10th grade teachers who participated in the 1997--98 Project LIFE professional development program. The study employed a mixed design including both qualitative and quantitative methodology. The qualitative data was collected from multiple sources which included: an open-ended survey, classroom observations, structured interviews, and artifacts. Three purposeful selection of teachers for case studies were made with teacher approval and authorization from building principals. Interview responses from the three case studies were further analyzed qualitatively using the microcomputer software NUD*IST. Tables and figures generated from NUD*IST graphically represented the case study teachers response and case comparison to six established categories: (1) continued implementation of reform-based instruction, (2) use of reform-based instruction, (3) program factors supporting transfer of training, (4) professional development, (5) goals of Project LIFE, and (6) critical issues in science education. Paired t-tests were used to analysis the quantitative data collected from the Survey of Attitudes Toward Science and Science Teaching. The study concluded the 1997--98 Project LIFE participants continued to implement reform-based instruction in their classrooms three years later. According to the teachers the program factors having the most influence on transferring training to their classroom were the positive responses from students; reflections with other teachers regarding instructional activities and strategies; modeling of activities and strategies they received from Project LIFE staff while participating in the program; and teachers commitment to reform-based instruction. These findings are important in enhancing national science reform goals. In order for teachers to be able to implement science-reform-based instruction in their classrooms they must experience effective professional development models. Designers of professional development programs must understand which factors in staff development programs most contribute to transfer of training.

[Development and Effects of an Instructional Coaching Program Regarding Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder for Elementary School Teachers].

PubMed

Park, Shin Jeong; Park, Wan Ju

2017-06-01

The aim of this study was to identify the effects of a newly developed instructional coaching program regarding Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) for teachers. Seventy teachers participated in this study involving a nonequivalent control group and a pretest-posttest design. The instructional coaching program consisted of eight 60-minute sessions. The program was developed through a theoretical development program involving six steps. To evaluate the effects of the program, data were collected through self-report questionnaires including the Knowledge Scale of Attention Deficit Disorder, Attitude Scale of Primary School Teachers Experiencing Students with ADHD, Practice Scale of Educational Intervention Activity, and the Korean ADHD Rating Scale. Data were analyzed with an independent t test, a chi-square test, and an ANCOVA using SPSS WIN version 20. The intervention program consisted of 3 sectors, 8 subjects, and 24 content items. The experimental group showed a significant improvement in attitudes toward ADHD (F=22.83, p<.001). In addition, teacher's knowledge regarding ADHD (F=7.16, p=.010) and the implementation of instructional interventions (F=4.29, p=.043) improved. Further, teachers reported a reduction in children's ADHD-related behavior (F=4.34, p=.041). Results showed that the coaching program made a positive contribution to teaching skills and understanding of school-age children with ADHD. The instructional coaching program was well structured and significantly improved not only teachers'attitudes, knowledge, and teaching skills but also the behavior of children with ADHD in class. Therefore, the program is recommended as a means of facilitating teaching and managing children with ADHD in class. © 2017 Korean Society of Nursing Science

Assessment of Training Programs for Elementary Mathematics Teachers on Developed Curricula and Attitudes towards Teaching in Najran-Saudi Arabia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aly, Hassan Shawky; Abdulhakeem, Hassan Daker

2016-01-01

This study aimed at assessing the training programs for Mathematics teachers at elementary stage on developed Curricula and attitudes toward teaching at Najran educational administration in Saudi Arabia. To achieve this objective, two instruments were developed, one of them measures the opinions of Mathematics teachers about the training programs…

For the Children's Sake: How To Develop a Tribal Teacher Education Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barden, Jack; Davis, Carol

1999-01-01

Describes the development of a teacher preparation program at Turtle Mountain Community College, which tries to balance pedagogy, subject matter, and culture in a holistic way. States that the program seeks to assess students in the program based on the outcomes they have achieved. Asserts that the hallmark of this embryonic program is…

Two Inseparable Facets of Technology Integration Programs: Technology and Theoretical Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demir, Servet

2011-01-01

This paper considers the process of program development aiming at technology integration for teachers. For this consideration, the paper focused on an integration program which was recently developed as part of a larger project. The participants of this program were 45 in-service teachers. The program continued four weeks and the conduct of the…

The Effects of a Computerized Professional Development Program on Teachers and Students with and without Disabilities in Secondary General Education Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schumaker, Jean B.; Fisher, Joseph B.; Walsh, Lisa D.

2010-01-01

Effects of a computerized professional development (PD) program were investigated in two studies. For each, teachers were randomly assigned to either a Virtual Workshop (VW) group that used a computerized program for PD or to an Actual Workshop (AW) group that participated in a live PD session. In Study 1, the teachers' knowledge about and…

A New Approach to Teacher Education and Teacher Certification.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Washington Office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Olympia. Div. of Teacher Education and Certification.

New certification standards adopted by the Washington State Board of Education in 1971 were designed to develop teacher education programs that ensure the highest quality of professional performance by teachers prepared within them. Teacher education programs under the new standards are approved by the State Board of Education only when three…

A University Approach to Improving STEM Teacher Recruitment and Retention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hubbard, Keith; Embry-Jenlink, Karen; Beverly, Lesa

2015-01-01

The authors describe successful STEM teacher recruiting and training practices developed through the Talented Teachers in Training for Texas (T4) program. They discuss implementing three distinctive recruiting experiences--a STEM Master Teacher Job Shadow, a STEM Day, and a NASA Aerospace Teachers Program--along with a multiyear scholarship and…

Listening to the Voices of Education Professionals Involved in Implementing an Oral Language and Early Literacy Program in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lennox, Maria; Garvis, Susanne; Westerveld, Marleen

2017-01-01

This paper explores teachers' and teacher assistants' self-efficacy of delivering PrepSTART, a classroom based, oral language and early literacy program for five-year-old students. In the current study, speech pathologists developed, provided training and monitored program implementation. Teachers and teacher assistants (n = 17) shared their…

A Teacher's Guide - The Mars Adventure. A Television Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York State Education Dept., Albany. Office of Cultural Education.

This teacher's guide describes seven audiovisual programs developed around the planet Mars. While these programs were developed primarily for use in secondary school science classes, several are appropriate for language arts, drama, art, and photography. Each program starts with the showing of a film or video-tape developed by the National…

Essential Characteristics for a Professional Development Program for Promoting the Implementation of a Multidisciplinary Science Module

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Visser, Talitha C.; Coenders, Fer G. M.; Terlouw, Cees; Pieters, Jules M.

2010-01-01

Teachers involved in the implementation of a curriculum innovation can be prepared for this task through a professional development program. In this paper, we describe essential characteristics (identified empirically and theoretically) for such a professional development program that promotes the acquisition of competences by these teachers. The…

Scientist-Teacher Partnerships as Professional Development: An Action Research Study

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

Willcuts, Meredith H.

The overall purpose of this action research study was to explore the experiences of ten middle school science teachers involved in a three-year partnership program between scientists and teachers at a Department of Energy national laboratory, including the impact of the program on their professional development, and to improve the partnership program by developing a set of recommendations based on the study’s findings. This action research study relied on qualitative data including field notes recorded at the summer academies and data from two focus groups with teachers and scientists. Additionally, the participating teachers submitted written reflections in science notebooks, participatedmore » in open-ended telephone interviews that were transcribed verbatim, and wrote journal summaries to the Department of Energy at the end of the summer academy. The analysis of the data, collaboratively examined by the teachers, the scientists, and the science education specialist acting as co-researchers on the project, revealed five elements critical to the success of the professional development of science teachers. First, scientist-teacher partnerships are a unique contribution to the professional development of teachers of science that is not replicated in other forms of teacher training. Second, the role of the science education specialist as a bridge between the scientists and teachers is a unique and vital one, impacting all aspects of the professional development. Third, there is a paradox for classroom teachers as they view the professional development experience from two different lenses – that of learner and that of teacher. Fourth, learning for science teachers must be designed to be constructivist in nature. Fifth, the principles of the nature of science must be explicitly showcased to be seen and understood by the classroom teacher.« less

Contributions of a Social Justice Language Teacher Education Perspective to Professional Development Programs in Colombia (Contribuciones de una perspectiva de justicia social para la formación de docentes de lenguas a los programas de desarrollo profesional en Colombia)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sierra Piedrahita, Ana María

2016-01-01

In this article, the author discusses the social justice language teacher education perspective and how it can help language teachers to develop a political view of their work and effect change inside and outside their particular school contexts. To do this, she briefly analyzes various professional development programs for teachers of English in…

Evaluating Teachers' Self-Perceptions of Their Knowledge and Practice after Participating in an Environmental Education Professional Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sondergeld, Toni A.; Milner, Andrea R.; Rop, Charles

2014-01-01

Building teachers' confidence in their understanding of nature and encouraging the use of field experiences with students are important factors in increasing environmental awareness in students. "A River Runs Through It (ARRT)" is an integrated environmental education professional development program, immersed practicing teachers in…

Supporting Kindergarten Teachers' Mathematics Instruction and Student Achievement through a Curriculum-Based Professional Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Polly, Drew; Wang, Chuang; Lambert, Richard; Martin, Christie; McGee, Jennifer Richardson; Pugalee, David; Lehew, Amy

2017-01-01

This study investigates the impacts of a year-long professional development program on Kindergarten teachers' beliefs and practices and the association of these changes with student achievement in mathematics measured by curriculum-based instruments. Although teacher content knowledge was not statistically significantly different before and after…

Achieving the Goals. Goal 4: Teacher Education and Professional Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Department of Education, Washington, DC.

Goal 4 of the National Education Goals envisions that teachers will have access to programs for the continued improvement of their professional skills. This book examines what federal agencies are doing to enhance teacher preparation, presents information on career-long development, and offers program descriptions and contact names. The first…

Course Compression and School Partnership in Pre-Service Primary Teacher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hope, John

In response to a serious shortage of elementary school teachers, New Zealand's government introduced competitive contracts for new and established providers to develop initial teacher education programs that could be completed over 12-18 months. The University of Auckland developed a compressed, three-semester, post-graduate program taught in…

"Allies," Alliance for Learning: Investing in the Education of Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoaglund, Amy E.; Birkenfeld, Karen J.; Stone, Amanda; Rogers, Betsy

2016-01-01

Samford University's Initial Teacher Education program subscribes to the philosophy of developing teacher leaders to become a part of a K-12 faculty rather than a peripheral support system. The goal of the program is to acknowledge and develop desirable teacher leader abilities. Expertise, professionalism, enthusiasm, passion, and commitment are…

A Conceptual Framework for Consumers' Education: Teacher Education Module 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Florida State Dept. of Education, Tallahassee.

The document is the second in a series of four competency-based inservice teacher education modules in consumer education. The main objective of the program is to assist curriculum developers and elementary and secondary classroom teachers as they plan, develop, implement, and evaluate a multidisciplinary consumer education program. The present…

Program Management Educational Needs of Idaho Business and Marketing Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kitchel, Allen; Cannon, John; Duncan, Dennis

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the perceived program management professional development needs of Idaho secondary business/marketing teachers (N = 233) in order to guide pre-service curriculum development and in-service training activities. Sixty-two percent (n = 146) of the 233 teachers completed a modified version of Joerger's (2002)…

From In-Service Teacher Development to School Improvement: Factors of Learning Transfer in Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dreer, Benjamin; Dietrich, Julia; Kracke, Bärbel

2017-01-01

In-service teacher development programs are perceived as a common way to foster school improvement. Nevertheless, program evaluation to date ends with the assessment of acquired knowledge, skills, and motivation, frequently disregarding the actual learning transfer and its conditions. This study aimed to investigate how individual and situational…

A Fifth Year Professional Training Program for Elementary School Teachers: Its Development through Mentoring and Internship.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jablonski, Ann

This paper describes the development of an experimental, alternative, graduate-level preservice teacher education program at Fordham University, the Internship Fellowship Program. The 15-month program includes an Instructional Training Laboratory (ITL) during the first summer, which supports the intern's acquisition of cognitive and performance…

Development of Effective Teacher Program: Teamwork Building Program for Thailand's Municipal Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chantathai, Pimpka; Tesaputa, Kowat; Somprach, Kanokorn

2015-01-01

This research is aimed to formulate the effective teacher teamwork program in municipal schools in Thailand. Primary survey on current situation and problem was conducted to develop the plan to suggest potential programs. Samples were randomly selected from municipal schools by using multi-stage sampling method in order to investigate their…

Helping Teachers Teach Plasma Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Correll, Donald

2008-11-01

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's E/O program in Fusion Science and Plasma Physics now includes both `pre-service' as well as `in-service' high school science teacher professional development activities. Teachers are instructed and mentored by `master teachers' and LLNL plasma researchers working in concert. The Fusion/Plasma E/O program exploits a unique science education partnership that exists between LLNL's Science Education Program and the UC Davis Edward Teller Education Center. For `in-service' teachers, the Fusion & Astrophysics Teacher Research Academy (TRA) has four levels of workshops that are designed to give in-service high school science teachers experience in promoting and conducting research, most notably in the filed of plasma spectroscopy. Participating teachers in all four TRA levels may earn up to ten units of graduate credit from Cal-State University East Bay, and may apply these units toward a Masters of Science in Education. For `pre-service' teachers, the Science Teacher and Researcher (STAR) program, as a partnership with the California State University System, includes attracting undergraduate science majors to teaching careers by allowing them to pursue professional identities as both a research scientist as well as a science teacher. Participating `pre-service' STAR students are provided research internships at LLNL and work closely with the `in-service' TRA teachers. Results from the continuum `pre-service' to `in-service' science teacher professional development programs will be presented.

Creating Next Generation Teacher Preparation Programs to Support Implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards and Common Core State Standards in K-12 Schools: An Opportunity for the Earth and Space Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geary, E. E.; Egger, A. E.; Julin, S.; Ronca, R.; Vokos, S.; Ebert, E.; Clark-Blickenstaff, J.; Nollmeyer, G.

2015-12-01

A consortium of two and four year Washington State Colleges and Universities in partnership with Washington's Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), the Teachers of Teachers of Science, and Teachers of Teachers of Mathematics, and other key stakeholders, is currently working to improve science and mathematics learning for all Washington State students by creating a new vision for STEM teacher preparation in Washington State aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in Mathematics and Language Arts. Specific objectives include: (1) strengthening elementary and secondary STEM Teacher Preparation courses and curricula, (2) alignment of STEM teacher preparation programs across Washington State with the NGSS and CCSS, (3) development of action plans to support implementation of STEM Teacher Preparation program improvement at Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) across the state, (4) stronger collaborations between HEIs, K-12 schools, government agencies, Non-Governmental Organizations, and STEM businesses, involved in the preparation of preservice STEM teachers, (5) new teacher endorsements in Computer Science and Engineering, and (6) development of a proto-type model for rapid, adaptable, and continuous improvement of STEM teacher preparation programs. A 2015 NGSS gap analysis of teacher preparation programs across Washington State indicates relatively good alignment of courses and curricula with NGSS Disciplinary Core Ideas and Scientific practices, but minimal alignment with NGSS Engineering practices and Cross Cutting Concepts. Likewise, Computer Science and Sustainability ideas and practices are not well represented in current courses and curricula. During the coming year teams of STEM faculty, education faculty and administrators will work collaboratively to develop unique action plans for aligning and improving STEM teacher preparation courses and curricula at their institutions.

An "Evidence-Based" Professional Development Program for Physics Teachers Focusing on Knowledge Integration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berger, Hana

This dissertation is concerned with the design and study of an evidence-based approach to the professional development of high-school physics teachers responding to the need to develop effective continuing professional development programs (CPD) in domains that require genuine changes in teachers' views, knowledge, and practice. The goals of the thesis were to design an evidence-based model for the CPD program, to implement it with teachers, and to study its influence on teachers' knowledge, views, and practice, as well as its impact on students' learning. The program was developed in three consecutive versions: a pilot, first, and second versions. Based on the pilot version (that was not part of this study), we developed the first version of the program in which we studied difficulties in employing the evidence-based and blended-learning approaches. According to our findings, we modified the strategies for enacting these approaches in the second version of the program. The influence of the program on the teachers and students was studied during the enactment of the second version of the program. The model implemented in the second version of the program was characterized by four main design principles: 1. The KI and evidence aspects are acquired simultaneously in an integrated manner. 2. The guidance of the teachers follows the principles of cognitive apprenticeship both in the evidence and the KI aspects. 3. The teachers experience the innovative activities as learners. 4. The program promotes continuity of teachers' learning through a structured "blended learning" approach. The results of our study show that this version of the program achieved its goals; throughout the program the teachers progressed in their knowledge, views, and practice concerning the knowledge integration, and in the evidence and learner-centered aspects. The results also indicated that students improved their knowledge of physics and knowledge integration skills that were developed throughout the program. More specifically, analysis of the teachers' discourse during the second version revealed that the program led to significant changes in teachers' knowledge about their students' knowledge and in teachers' views about the following: 1. the advantages of the KIRs' innovative teaching tool, 2. the "evidence" as a useful resource for evaluating the contribution of the KIRs to students' learning, and more generally, as a powerful tool for investigating students' learning, and for improving practice, and 3. several "learner-centered" pedagogical aspects: the importance and legitimacy of learning from peers, the need to listen carefully to students' ideas and reflections, and the need to investigate students' knowledge using a variety of methods, and to plan the teaching accordingly. Our analysis of the students' worksheets verified the teachers' findings about their students' initial state of knowledge and the improvement of this knowledge as a result of advancing through the KIR phases. When we extended the sample and examined worksheets of additional classes, we found similar findings. We also found that the students were aware of the improvement in their knowledge and attributed this improvement to their working with the KIRs. Two major recommendations emerge from this study: 1. We recommend that KIRs be routinely incorporated into physics teaching. The results show that the KIRs contribute to teachers' practice and to students' learning and support the teachers in becoming more learner-centered in their teaching. 2. We recommend incorporating an evidence-based approach in long-term programs aimed at bringing about a significant change in the teachers' practice. In order to engage the teachers with the evidence endeavor, it is recommended to introduce them an innovative teaching tool that is considered by them important and to evoke their curiosity to find out empirically about the influence of the tool on their students' learning. It is also recommended to engage the teachers in ongoing interactions about their experience in implementing the innovative tools in their classes through an online platform by which special, simple online tools are enacted. The present study has several limitations that suggest directions for further study, some of which can be based on the present set of data, but others require additional study. These directions include a detailed study of individual teachers' professional development, studies of ways to up-scale the evidence-based approach and use it effectively in less intensive courses, an extensive study of how students study with the improved versions of the KIRs that resulted from this study, and further investigation into how the new computerized tools can be utilized in professional development courses. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Integrating Laptop Computers into Classroom: Attitudes, Needs, and Professional Development of Science Teachers--A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klieger, Aviva; Ben-Hur, Yehuda; Bar-Yossef, Nurit

2010-01-01

The study examines the professional development of junior-high-school teachers participating in the Israeli "Katom" (Computer for Every Class, Student and Teacher) Program, begun in 2004. A three-circle support and training model was developed for teachers' professional development. The first circle applies to all teachers in the…

The Dispositions Improvement Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brewer, Robin D.; Lindquist, Cynthia; Altemueller, Lisa

2011-01-01

Globally, teacher dispositions along with knowledge and skills continue to be the focal point of teacher education programs. Teachers influence children's development and therefore dispositions are a universal concern. For the past 20 years in the United States, teacher education programs have assessed dispositions. We, however, must now also use…

Using a Teaching Philosophy Statement as a Professional Development Tool for Teacher Candidates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caukin, Nancy G.; Brinthaupt, Thomas M.

2017-01-01

Most new teachers are expected to develop a teaching philosophy statement (TPS). In the present paper, we describe some of the major functions of a TPS and how it can be beneficial to the professional development of teacher candidates. We then describe a case example of a Residency I program and how the features of that program help teacher…

Through the Lens of Teacher Professional Development Components: The "Dialogic Video Cycle" as an Innovative Program to Foster Classroom Dialogue

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gröschner, Alexander; Seidel, Tina; Kiemer, Katharina; Pehmer, Ann-Kathrin

2015-01-01

For developing professional development (PD) programs, research suggests referring to effective components. In developing a PD program on classroom dialogue, we explored to what extent effective components could be addressed. We conducted a study with two groups. In the "Dialogic Video Cycle" (DVC), six German teachers participated in a…

Case Studies of the Development of Science Teachers' Practices of Socio-Scientific Issue (SSI)-Based Teaching through a Professional Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pitiporntapin, Sasithep; Srisakuna, Suchada

2017-01-01

This research aimed to assess three case studies of in-service science teachers regarding their practices of socio-scientific issue (SSI)-based teaching as they participated in a specially developed professional development (PD) program. Data were collected throughout the PD program from group discussions, observations, interviews, and the review…

Mathematics Pedagogy and Content in a Blended Teacher Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morales, Romelia V.; Anderson, Hal; McGowan, John

2003-01-01

Recently, the Department of Teacher Education and the Liberal Studies Program in the School of Education at California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) collaborated in developing a Blended Liberal Studies/Teacher Education Program (BLTEP) for upper division transfer students interested in completing an elementary credential. The BLTEP…

Investigating the Underrepresentation of African American and Hispanic Students in Gifted Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gillard, Malcolm Jerome

2017-01-01

The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between the representation of African American and Hispanic students in gifted education programs, professional development and teacher training in gifted education, and teacher referral of these students to gifted programs. Administrators, general education teachers, and gifted education…

Program Changes in Technology Teacher Education in Taiwan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lai, Chih-Chien Steven

Taiwan has two technology teacher departments: one at the National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) and the other at National Kaohsiung Normal University (NKNU). In recent years, both universities' technology teacher education programs have simultaneously followed two lines of development: the transition from an industrial arts education program to…

Hybridized Teacher Education Programs in NYC: A Missed Opportunity?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mungal, Angus Shiva

2015-01-01

This qualitative study describes the development of hybrid teacher preparation programs that emerged as a result of a "forced" partnership between university-based and alternative teacher preparation programs in New York City. This hybrid experiment was a short-lived, yet innovative by-product of a somewhat pragmatic arrangement between…

Teachers Knowledge and Training Needs Regarding Youth Gambling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LaDouceur, Robert; Ferland, Francine; Cote, Marie-Annick; Vitaro, Frank

2004-01-01

Researchers and clinicians develop prevention programs for problem gambling. These programs, which mainly target youths, are usually applied within the school environment by teachers. It would be useful to verify beforehand whether teachers understand this problem and to evaluate their interest in applying these programs. We surveyed 517 teachers…

Development and Implementation of Science and Technology Ethics Education Program for Prospective Science Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rhee, Hyang-yon; Choi, Kyunghee

2014-01-01

The purposes of this study were (1) to develop a science and technology (ST) ethics education program for prospective science teachers, (2) to examine the effect of the program on the perceptions of the participants, in terms of their ethics and education concerns, and (3) to evaluate the impact of the program design. The program utilized…

A Program Based on Task-Based Teaching Approach to Develop Creative Thinking Teaching Skills for Female Science Teachers in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ibrahim, Manal Hassan Mohammed Bin

2015-01-01

This study aimed at developing creative thinking teaching skills for female science teachers in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) through designing a program based on task-based teaching approach. The problem of the study was specified as the weakness of creative thinking teaching skills for science teachers in KSA and the need for programs based on…

The Irie Classroom Toolbox: developing a violence prevention, preschool teacher training program using evidence, theory, and practice.

PubMed

Baker-Henningham, Helen

2018-05-01

In this paper, I describe the development of the Irie Classroom Toolbox, a school-based violence prevention, teacher training program for use with children aged 3-6 years. In-depth interviews were conducted with Jamaican preschool teachers, who had participated in a trial of a classroom behavior management program, at posttest (n = 35) and 5 years later (n = 20). An on-going process evaluation was also conducted. Teachers' preferred behavior management strategies and training methods were documented, and enablers and barriers to implementation were identified. Teachers were most likely to adopt strategies that they liked, found easy to use, and were effective. These included paying attention to positive behavior and explicitly teaching children the expected behavior. Teachers preferred active, hands-on training strategies based on social-cognitive theories. Enablers to intervention implementation included positive teacher-facilitator relationships, choice, collaborative problem solving, teachers recognizing benefits of the intervention, group support, and provision of materials. Barriers to intervention implementation were also identified. These data were integrated with behavior change theory (i.e., the behavior change wheel and theoretical domains framework) to develop an intervention grounded in common core elements of evidence-based programs while also utilizing teachers' perspectives. The resulting program is a low cost, adaptable intervention that should be suitable for training preschool teachers in other low-resource settings. © 2018 The Authors. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The New York Academy of Sciences.

Structural Model Development: Branches, Attitudes and Self-Efficacy of Pedagogical Formation Program Pre-Service Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sivaci, Sadik Yuksel

2017-01-01

In this study, the relationship between attitudes of pedagogical formation program pre-service teachers towards teaching profession and their self-efficacies has been examined. In this case, the effect of graduation branches of the pre-service teachers on teacher self-efficacies and the effect of teacher self-efficacies on attitudes towards…

Preparing Urban Teachers: Uncovering Communities. A Community Curriculum for Interns and New Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shakespear, Eileen; Beardsley, Linda; Newton, Anne

The Urban Teacher Training Collaborative (UTTC) is a school-university, school-based, Master of Arts in Teaching Program developed by Tufts University and three small Boston Public Schools. The program reflects partners' understanding of the needs of urban students and teachers. It presents an innovative model for teacher training similar to the…

Developing Knowledgeable Teachers: A Framework for Standards-Based Teacher Education Supported by Institutional Collaboration. The STEP Reports.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garvin, Patty, Ed.

This collection of papers describes the process of creating a standards-based teacher education program through strong collaboration among arts and science, education, and P-12 faculty members and administrators. The Standards-based Teacher Education Project (STEP) was designed to help teacher education programs ensure that their graduates know…

How Do We Keep Teachers in Our Classrooms? The TNT Response.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gonzales, Frank; Sosa, Alicia Salinas

1993-01-01

This report outlines and evaluates a project, Teachers Need Teachers (TNT), developed by the Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA). TNT is a teacher induction program for first-year teachers who are certified in bilingual education and teach limited-English-proficient students. Beginning teachers are assigned to experienced…

Career Development and Professional Attrition of Novice ESL Teachers of Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valeo, Antonella; Faez. Farahnaz

2013-01-01

Research and development in language teacher education and, more recently, teacher accreditation has had enormous impact on the professional lives of ESL teachers in Canada. There has been less interest, however, in examining the career development and employment experiences of accredited ESL teachers as they transition from TESL programs to ESL…

A Qualitative Case Study Exploring an Early Childhood Educator Professional Development Program Linking Teacher Efficacy, Engagement, and Retention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guerrant, Lisa Y.

2016-01-01

This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of eleven early childhood educators who participated in a professional development program. The study was guided by the central research question, "What are the perceptions of early childhood educators on the professional development program as it relates to teacher efficacy, engagement,…

Developing School Leaders: Practitioner Growth during an Advanced Leadership Development Program for Principals and Administrator-Trained Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Browne-Ferrigno, Tricia

2007-01-01

This article shares findings from an exploratory case study about an advanced school leadership development program designed specifically for practicing principals and administrator-trained teachers. The program was designed to help a high-need rural district transform its principalship from school management into learner-center leadership while…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dass, Pradeep Maxwell

1999-01-01

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

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dass, Pradeep Maxwell

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

Success of a Faculty Development Program for Teachers at the Mayo Clinic

PubMed Central

Lee, Staci M.; Lee, Mark C.; Reed, Darcy A.; Halvorsen, Andrew J.; Berbari, Elie F.; McDonald, Furman S.; Beckman, Thomas J.

2014-01-01

Background There has been limited research on the improvement of underperforming clinical teachers. Objective To determine whether a faculty development program could improve the evaluations of clinical teachers in an internal medicine residency program. Methods A total of 123 teachers completed faculty development at the Mayo Clinic from 2009 to 2012. The faculty enhancement and education development program (FEED) consists of 6 interactive, small group, 2-hour sessions taught by experienced Mayo Clinic faculty over 1 year. These sessions address the following competencies: asking questions, diagnosing learners, giving feedback, using teaching frameworks, recognizing learning styles, and providing clinical supervision. Resident-of-faculty Mayo teaching effectiveness (MTE) scores have previously demonstrated content, internal structure, and criterion validity. Teachers were grouped into the top 80% or the bottom 20%, according to baseline MTE scores. Mixed linear models were used to compare these groups regarding changes in MTE scores after completion of FEED. Results were adjusted for teacher age, sex, medical specialty, academic rank, and teaching awards. Results For all participants combined, the adjusted MTE scores (mean; standard error) improved from baseline (3.80; 0.04) to completion of FEED (3.93; 0.04; P < .001). However, the bottom 20% had a significantly greater improvement in scores than the top 80% (score-change difference  =  0.166, P < .001). Conclusions We describe a low-intensity faculty development intervention that benefited all clinical teachers, but was particularly effective for underperforming teachers in internal medicine. The approach may be suitable for adoption or adaptation in other graduate medical education programs. PMID:26140122

Teachers Engaging Parents as Reading Tutors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kupzyk, Sara S.; Daly, Edward J., III.

2017-01-01

This study examined the application of evidence-based tutoring for oral reading fluency (ORF) to a natural setting, using teachers as parent trainers. Three teachers were trained in a 3-h workshop to develop individualized tutoring programs with parents. Following training, the teachers trained four parents to use individualized tutoring programs.…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

2017-01-01

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

Using Facebook to Support Novice Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Staudt, Denise; St. Clair, Norman; Martinez, Elda E.

2013-01-01

Providing quality support for novice teachers as they enter the profession has been an ongoing concern of educator preparation programs. This article describes the efforts of one teacher preparation program in addressing this matter by utilizing Facebook[R] to provide sustained support and professional development for its beginning teachers. We…

Inservice Teacher Training: Experiencing German Culture Down Under

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jansen, Louise; Stracke, Elke

2005-01-01

In collaboration with the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Department of Education and Training, the Australian National University has been offering a professional development program for language teachers (called LIFT, or Language Inservice for Teachers) for more than ten years. As the program is specially tailored to meet teachers' current…

Gatekeeper or Lynchpin? The Role of the Principal in School-University Partnerships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nettleton, Kimberely Fletcher; Barnett, David

2016-01-01

Teacher education programs are always evolving. To provide opportunities for pre-service teachers to combine pedagogy with practical experience, many programs are developing school-university partnerships. The pairing of pre-service teachers with experienced mentor teachers offers enriched field experience opportunities. The effect of the…

Critical Conditions: What Teacher Leaders Need to Be Effective in School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berg, Jill Harrison; Bosch, Christina A.; Souvanna, Phomdaen

2013-01-01

The "Boston Teacher Leadership Certificate" program was designed in 2010 to build Boston's teachers to be stronger professional resources for one another, their schools, and district reform. The program's key strategy has been supporting experienced teacher leaders to design and facilitate graduate-level leadership development courses…

The State of Teacher Induction in Urban America

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bleeker, Martha; Dolfin, Sarah; Johnson, Amy; Glazerman, Steve; Isenberg, Eric; Grider, Mary

2012-01-01

Teacher induction programs have been used by districts and schools to help respond to high turnover and inadequate preparation among beginning teachers. These programs are offered to novice teachers entering their own classrooms and are designed to provide professional development (PD) and support. Although most districts use some form of teacher…

Facilitating Certification and Professional Development for Small Schools. ERIC Digest: Small Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swift, Doug

Addressing the problems of recruiting and retaining qualified teachers for small and rural schools, this digest outlines improvements that could be made by teacher education programs, state education agencies, school superintendents, and teachers themselves. Suggested guidelines for teacher education programs stress nontraditional approaches that…

Teaching for Equity: A Transformationist Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wheeler, Tiffany R.; Trail, Amelia El-Hindi

2010-01-01

Today's teachers must be equipped to reach all children and embrace a pedagogy of equity. Toward that end, teacher preparation programs need to foster a transformationist pedagogy which allows students to develop into culturally responsive teachers. This paper describes three components of a teacher preparation program that embraces teaching for…

Home Economics Education Handbook. Teacher Trainee Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jax, Judy A., Comp.

Developed for cooperating teachers and teacher trainees working with the University of Wisconsin-Stout's Home Economics Education Program, this handbook is intended as a reference which may supplement the guidance given by the cooperating teacher, principal, college supervisor or other personnel involved in the guidance and evaluation of teacher…

Two Large-Scale Professional Development Programs for Mathematics Teachers and Their Impact on Student Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindvall, Jannika

2017-01-01

This article reports on two professional development programs for mathematics teachers and their effects on student achievement. The projects' design and their implementation within a larger municipality in Sweden, working together with over 90 teachers and 5000 students in elementary school, are described by using a set of core critical features…

Streets: A Program to Develop Awareness of the Street Environment. Teacher's Guide [And] Student's Workbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cvijanovic, Serge; Spero, Galila

The environmental education unit is intended for use by elementary school classroom teachers as they develop and implement programs to help students become visually aware of street environments. The teacher's guide is presented in two major sections. Section I consists primarily of reading and observing exercises. Lessons are entitled "What…

In-Service Infant Teachers Re-Envision Their Practice through a Professional Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loizou, Eleni; Recchia, Susan L.

2018-01-01

Research Findings: Most infant teachers have been prepared to be early childhood educators with minimal theoretical or practical exposure to infancy. This study highlights the outcomes of a professional development program (PDP) designed to support a group of infant teachers who lacked specific infancy preparation to re-envision their roles. Data…

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…

The New York City Staff Development Program in Mathematics for High School Teachers and Supervisors, 1987-1988.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berney, Tomi D.; Friedman, Grace Ibanez

The state-funded New York City Staff Development Program in Mathematics was a five-workshop series serving bilingual/English-as-a-Second-Language teachers teaching mathematics, and mathematics teachers unfamiliar with the special needs of limited-English-proficient (LEP) high school students. Supervisors were also invited to participate. Workshop…

Talking to Learn: A Mixed-Methods Study of a Professional Development Program for Teachers of English Language Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shea, Lauren M.

2012-01-01

Most teachers of English language learners (ELLs) have had virtually no specialized, in-service training in adapting instruction for their students. Prior research fails to investigate the impact of professional development (PD) specifically designed for teachers of ELLs. This dissertation examines a PD program that attempted to prepare teachers…

Impact of Online Professional Development on Teacher Quality and Student Achievement in Fifth Grade Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dash, Sheralyn; de Kramer, Raquel Magidin; O'Dwyer, Laura M.; Masters, Jessica; Russell, Michael

2012-01-01

Despite the ever-increasing number of online professional development (OPD) programs, relatively few studies have been conducted to examine the efficacy of such programs for teachers and students. This manuscript presents findings from an impact study of OPD courses in fractions, algebraic thinking, and measurement on 79 fifth grade teachers'…

A Model to Improve Teacher Performance in Implementing Individual Instructional Programs for Exceptional Children in a Mainstream Education. Midi Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vidaurri, Otilia V.

Described is a teacher development center, an inservice program designed to develop competencies for individualizing instruction in 73 regular and special educators attending 2-week training sessions. It is explained that training focused on 12 content modules (including teacher communication and guidance, classroom management, and organization of…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wallace, Faith H.

2006-01-01

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

The Challenges of Designing and Implementing Effective Professional Development for Out-of-Field High School Physics Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Escalada, Lawrence T.; Moeller, Julia K.

2006-02-01

With the existing shortage of qualified high school physics teachers and the current mandate of the No Child Left Behind Act requiring teachers to be "highly qualified" in all subjects they teach, university physics departments must offer content courses and programs that would allow out-of-field high school physics teachers to meet this requirement. This paper will identify how the University of Northern Iowa Physics Department is attempting to address the needs of the high school physics teacher through its course offerings and professional development programs for teachers. The effectiveness of one such physics professional development program, the UNI Physics Institute (UNI-PI), on secondary science teachers' and their students' conceptual understanding of Newtonian mechanics, and the teachers' instructional practices was investigated. Twenty-one Iowa out-of-field high school physics teachers participating in the program were able to complete the physics coursework required to obtain the State of Iowa 7-12 Grade Physics Teaching endorsement. Twelve of the participants completed a two-year program during the 2002 and 2003 summers. Background information, pre- and post-test physics conceptual assessments and other data was collected from participants throughout the Institute. Participants collected pre and post-test conceptual assessment data from their students during the 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 academic years. This comprehensive assessment data revealed the Institute's influence on participants' and students' conceptual understanding of Newtonian Mechanics. The results of this investigation, the insights we have gained, and possible future directions for professional development will be shared.

Contributions to These Practices from a Professional Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kale, Ugur

2004-01-01

Teacher professional development is assumed to be enhanced through reflective, collective, collaborative professional communities (Little, 2003). Universities in these teacher community developments play a big role by providing teachers with pedagogical helps and professional developments. By not only encouraging teachers to go to conferences, do…

Teacher Leaders in Research Based Science Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rector, T. A.; Jacoby, S. H.; Lockwood, J. F.; McCarthy, D. W.

2001-12-01

NOAO facilities will be used in support of ``Teacher Leaders in Research Based Science Education" (TLRBSE), a new Teacher Retention and Renewal program that will be funded through the National Science Foundation's Directorate for Education and Human Resources. The goal of TLRBSE is to provide professional development for secondary teachers of mathematics and science in an effort to support novice teachers beginning their careers as well as to motivate and retain experienced teachers. Within the context of astronomy, TLRBSE will develop master teachers who will mentor a second tier of novice teachers in the exemplary method of research-based science education, a proven effective teaching method which models the process of inquiry and exploration used by scientists. Participants will be trained through a combination of in-residence workshops at Kitt Peak National Observatory and the National Solar Observatory, a distance-learning program during the academic year, interaction at professional meetings and mentor support from teacher leaders and professional astronomers. A total of 360 teachers will participate in the program over five years.

Teacher Leaders in Research Based Science Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rector, T. A.; Jacoby, S. H.; Lockwood, J. F.; McCarthy, D. W.

2001-05-01

NOAO facilities will be used in support of ``Teacher Leaders in Research Based Science Education" (TLRBSE), a new Teacher Retention and Renewal program that will be funded through the National Science Foundation's Directorate for Education and Human Resources. The goal of TLRBSE is to provide professional development for secondary teachers of mathematics and science in an effort to support novice teachers beginning their careers as well as to motivate and retain experienced teachers. Within the context of astronomy, TLRBSE will develop master teachers who will mentor a second tier of novice teachers in the exemplary method of research-based science education, a proven effective teaching method which models the process of inquiry and exploration used by scientists. Participants will be trained through a combination of in-residence workshops at Kitt Peak National Observatory and the National Solar Observatory, a distance-learning program during the academic year, interaction at professional meetings and mentor support from teacher leaders and professional astronomers. A total of 360 teachers will participate in the program over five years.

eMINTS Program Evaluation Report: An Investigation of Program Fidelity and Its Impact on Teacher Mastery and Student Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Wendy; Strother, Scott; Weatherholt, Tara; Dechaume, Merav

2008-01-01

The eMINTS professional development programs are designed to help teachers learn how to integrate technology into their teaching, using instructional strategies that promote inquiry-based learning and encourage collaboration and community building among students and teachers. The eMINTS programs considered in this evaluation include: (1) eMINTS…

Developing Intercultural Competence through Global Link Experiences in Physical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ko, Bomna; Boswell, Boni; Yoon, Seok

2015-01-01

Background: Recognition of the importance of the development of intercultural competence (ICC) has placed intense pressure on teacher education programs to infuse a global perspective into their programs. Several studies have proposed integration of global elements into teacher education programs. Although the use of online tools for…

A Program for Reading and Language Development. An Adopter's Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Nancy Hay

"Project SAILS" (Symbolic and Innovative Language Systems) is a special program developed by the Portland, Oregon, public schools for training teachers to work with children who have learning and reading difficulties. Teachers are instructed in the use of the Monterey Reading and Language Programs, highly structured and highly…

Applying for Noyce

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stewart, Gay; Prival, Joan

2012-02-01

The NSF Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program seeks to encourage talented STEM majors and STEM professionals to become mathematics and science teachers. The program also supports the development of Master Teachers in science and mathematics. There are key features in managing a Noyce program that often present difficulty and are vital to successful, sustainable, teacher preparation programs: mentoring, advising and recruiting, and working with school partners. In this workshop, we will help participants consider ways to alleviate existing difficulties or how to set up a program to reduce them. A sample proposal will be available for a mock review.

School climate and teachers' beliefs and attitudes associated with implementation of the positive action program: a diffusion of innovations model.

PubMed

Beets, Michael W; Flay, Brian R; Vuchinich, Samuel; Acock, Alan C; Li, Kin-Kit; Allred, Carol

2008-12-01

Teacher- and school-level factors influence the fidelity of implementation of school-based prevention and social character and development (SACD) programs. Using a diffusion of innovations framework, the relationships among teacher beliefs and attitudes towards a prevention/SACD program and the influence of a school's administrative support and perceptions of school connectedness, characteristics of a school's climate, were specified in two cross-sectional mediation models of program implementation. Implementation was defined as the amount of the programs' curriculum delivered (e.g., lessons taught), and use of program-specific materials in the classroom (e.g., ICU boxes and notes) and in relation to school-wide activities (e.g., participation in assemblies). Teachers from 10 elementary schools completed year-end process evaluation reports for year 2 (N = 171) and 3 (N = 191) of a multi-year trial. Classroom and school-wide material usage were each favorably associated with the amount of the curriculum delivered, which were associated with teachers' attitudes toward the program which, in turn, were related to teachers' beliefs about SACD. These, in turn, were associated with teachers' perceptions of school climate. Perceptions of school climate were indirectly related to classroom material usage and both indirectly and directly related to the use of school-wide activities. Program developers need to consider the importance of a supportive environment on program implementation and attempt to incorporate models of successful school leadership and collaboration among teachers that foster a climate promoting cohesiveness, shared visions, and support.

The Professional Development of High School Chemistry Coordinators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hofstein, Avi; Carmeli, Miriam; Shore, Relly

2004-02-01

The implementation of new content and pedagogical standards in science education necessitates intensive, long-term professional development of science teachers. In this paper, we describe the rationale and structure of a comprehensive and intensive professional development program of school-based leaders, namely school chemistry coordinators. The year-long program was designed so that the chemistry teachers who enrolled in the program were able to develop in three interrelated aspects: content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, and leadership ability. Several strategies for the development of these aspects were adopted from Loucks-Horsley, Hewson, Love, & Stiles (1998). The evaluation of the program focused on the changes that participating teachers underwent regarding their personal beliefs and their functioning as school chemistry coordinators in their schools.

The Development and Validation of a Teacher Preparation Program: Follow-Up Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schulte, Laura E.

2008-01-01

Students in my applied advanced statistics course for educational administration doctoral students developed a follow-up survey for teacher preparation programs, using the following scale development processes: adopting a framework; developing items; providing evidence of content validity; conducting a pilot test; and analyzing data. The students…

Teacher Research Programs = Increased Student Achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dubner, J.

2011-12-01

Columbia University's Summer Research Program for Science Teachers (SRP), founded in 1990, is one of the largest, best known university professional development programs for science teachers in the U.S. For eight weeks in each of two consecutive summers, teachers participate as a member of a research team, led by a member of Columbia University's research faculty. In addition to the laboratory experience, all teachers meet weekly during the summer for a series of pedagogical activities to assist them in transferring the experience to their classrooms. The primary goal of the program is to provide K-12 science teachers with opportunities to work at the cutting edge of science and engineering, and thus to revitalize their teaching and help them to appreciate the use of inquiry-based methods in their classroom instruction. The secondary goals of the program are to give the pre-college teacher the ability to guide their students toward careers in science and engineering, to develop new teaching strategies, and to foster long-term scholarly collaborations. The last is especially important as it leads to a model of the teacher as active in science yet committed to the pre-college classroom. Since its inception, SRP has focused on an objective assessment of the program's impact on attitudes and instructional practices of participating teachers, on the performance of these teachers in their mentors' laboratories, and most importantly, on the impact of their participation in the program has on student interest and performance in science. Our research resulted in a paper published in the journal Science. SRP also facilitates a multi-site survey-based evaluation of other teacher research programs around the country. The author will present the findings of both studies.

Supporting pre-service science teachers in developing culturally relevant pedagogy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krajeski, Stephen

This study employed a case study methodology to investigate a near-authentic intervention program designed to support the development of culturally relevant pedagogy and its impact on pre-service science teachers' notions of culturally relevant pedagogy. The unit of analysis for this study was the discourse of pre-service science teachers enrolled in a second semester science methods course, which was the site of the intervention program. Data for this study was collected from videos of classroom observations, audio recordings of personal interviews, and artifacts created by the pre-service science teachers during the class. To determine how effective science teacher certification programs are at supporting the development of culturally relevant pedagogy without an immersion aspect, two research questions were investigated: 1) How do pre-service science teachers view and design pedagogy while participating in an intervention designed to support the development of culturally relevant pedagogy? 2) How do pre-service science teachers view the importance of culturally relevant pedagogy for supporting student learning? How do their practices in the field change these initial views?

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2011-12-01

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

Innovatively Supporting Teachers’ Implementation of School-Based Sex Education: Developing A Web-Based Coaching Intervention From Problem to Solution

PubMed Central

Kok, Gerjo; Meijer, Suzanne; Mevissen, Fraukje EF

2016-01-01

Background Full program implementation is crucial for effectiveness but is often overlooked or insufficiently considered during development of behavioral change interventions. For school-based health promotion programs, teachers are key players in program implementation, but teacher support in this phase is mostly limited to technical support and information. To ensure optimal implementation of the Dutch school-based sexual health program Long Live Love, a Web-based coaching website was developed to support teachers in completeness and fidelity of program implementation. Objective The aim of this paper is to provide insight into the process of systematic development of a Web-based coaching intervention to support teachers in their implementation of a school-based sexual health program. Methods The intervention mapping (IM) protocol was applied for the development of a theory- and evidence-based intervention. The IM process begins with (1) a needs assessment, followed by (2) the formulation of change objectives, (3) the selection of theory-based intervention methods and practical applications that take the parameters for effectiveness into consideration, (4) integration of practical applications into an organized program, (5) planning for adoption, implementation, and sustainability of the program, and finally, (6) generating an evaluation plan to measure program effectiveness. Results Teacher’s implementation behavior was characterized by inconsistently selecting parts of the program and not delivering (all) lessons as intended by program developers. Teachers, however, did not perceive this behavior as problematic, revealing the discrepancy between teacher’s actual and perceived need for support in delivering Long Live Love lessons with completeness and fidelity. Teachers did, however, acknowledge different difficulties they encountered which could potentially negatively influence the quality of implementation. With the IM protocol, this Web-based coaching intervention was developed based on a concept of unobtrusive coaching, by and for teachers, to bring about change in teachers’ implementation behavior. Conclusions This paper provides an example of a Web-based intervention to bring about behavioral change in a target group of intermediaries who lack intrinsic motivation for coaching and who’s perceptions differ from their actual problematic behavior. The IM protocol is a useful tool for guiding the scientific development of interventions and making them compatible with the needs and preferences of the target group. PMID:27405241

Manual of an Instructional Program in Dental Assisting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gilbert, Maud R., Ed.; Fiedler, Belle, Ed.

This manual is for administrator and teacher use in planning a program and individual courses for adults in dental assisting in vocational, technical, and adult programs. The manual was developed by a supervisor, a teacher-coordinator, teachers, and dentists at the local level and tested in the local school. The objectives are to prepare…

ON-SITE: Oklahoma Nucleus for School Involvement in Teacher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roos, Marie C.; And Others

ON-SITE (Oklahoma Nucleus for School Involvement in Teacher Education), an innovative teacher education program, is a cooperative effort between the College of Education at Oklahoma State University (OSU) and the Stillwater Public Schools (SPS). The program was initiated in 1973 and is maintained as a free partnership whose program development is…

Improving Quality of Elementary Music Programs through Common Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edele, Cameron

2011-01-01

Developing a music program based on quality curriculum is the key to success. The purpose of my research was to explore whether teachers used curriculum for quality control in an Elementary music program. Using student questionnaires, teacher interviews, and teacher observations I found that the music curriculum in each school was different. There…

One T A To Grow, Please! A Workbook of Teacher Advisory Ideas and Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spencer, Carol

This workbook provides guidance for the implementation of teacher advisory programs in middle-level schools. Teacher advisory programs are designed to change impersonal school climates, provide a supportive framework for student risk-taking, and promote the healthy development of adolescents. Two program models are described, one initiated in…

Impacts of the Retired Mentors for New Teachers Program. REL 2017-225

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeCesare, Dale; McClelland, Abby; Randel, Bruce

2017-01-01

This study evaluates the impact of the Retired Mentors for New Teachers program, a two-year mentoring program at the elementary school level developed by Aurora Public Schools in Colorado. Many of the district's schools serve a large percentage of economically disadvantaged children, experience high teacher turnover, and hire newer, less…

Certification Requirements and Teacher Quality: A Comparison of Alternative Routes to Teaching. Working Paper 64

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sass, Tim R.

2011-01-01

Traditionally, states have required individuals complete a program of study in a university-based teacher preparation program in order to be licensed to teach. In recent years, however, various "alternative certification" programs have been developed and the number of teachers obtaining teaching certificates through routes other than…

Reducing Substance Abuse Risk Factors among Children through a Teacher as Facilitator Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLaughlin, Robert J.; And Others

1993-01-01

Teachers as Facilitators (TAF) program used teachers as leaders of small groups that promoted social, emotional, and academic development of children at high risk for substance abuse. Found that school personnel were capable of accurately identifying and referring students; TAF program was effective in improving students' perceived academic…

An Alternative School Teacher Education Program. Teacher Education Forum; Volume 3, Number 7.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barr, Robert D.

The Alternative School Teacher Education Program, cooperatively developed by participating public schools and Indiana University, is a field-based masters degree program designed for completion in one calendar year. Students spend two summers on campus pursuing graduate course work. During the academic year between these summers, students earn…

Characteristics of Teacher Incentive Pay Programs: A Statewide District Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liang, Guodong; Akiba, Motoko

2015-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the characteristics of teacher incentive pay programs used by midsize to large school districts in Missouri. Design/methodology/approach: This study primarily used the Teacher Compensation Programs (TCP) survey data. The TCP survey was developed by the authors to understand the nature and…

Empowering Teachers to Create Educational Software: A Constructivist Approach Utilizing Etoys, Pair Programming and Cognitive Apprenticeship

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Young-Jin

2011-01-01

This study investigates whether a visual programming environment called Etoys could enable teachers to create software applications meeting their own instructional needs. Twenty-four teachers who participated in the study successfully developed their own educational computer programs in the educational technology course employing cognitive…

The Art of Teaching and Learning in the Practicum: The Pedagogical Perceptions of Bilingual Cooperating Teachers in an On-Site Block Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valverde-Wheaton, Alicia

2011-01-01

This study will be presented to university education programs, Professional Development Schools, cooperating teachers, preservice teachers, and administrators who are part of the practicum experience. This study concentrated on looking at the perceptions of cooperating teachers about the practicum in preparing preservice teachers to meet the needs…

The Effect of Teacher Education Programs on Future Elementary Mathematics Teachers' Knowledge: A Five-Country Analysis Using TEDS-M Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Qian, Hong; Youngs, Peter

2016-01-01

This article addresses the problem of how opportunities to learn in teacher education programs influence future elementary mathematics teachers' knowledge. This study used data collected for the Teacher Education and Development Study in Mathematics (TEDS-M). TEDS-M measured the mathematics content knowledge (MCK) and the mathematics pedagogical…

"Context-Specific" Teacher Preparation for New York City: An Exploration of the Content of Context in Bard College's Urban Teacher Residency Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hammerness, Karen; Craig, Elizabeth

2016-01-01

In this article, we examine a residency program that was developed to prepare teachers specifically for New York City schools--the Bard College Master of Arts in Teaching Urban Teacher Residency program. This focused preparation on the particular urban context of New York City provides us with a unique opportunity to examine the nature of…

The Collier Chautauqua program: A formative evaluation of the implementation of the Iowa Chautauqua model of professional development and its effectiveness in improving science teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dass, Pradeep Maxwell

1997-11-01

A formative evaluation of the implementation of the Iowa Chautauqua model of professional development in Collier County, Florida, was conducted during 1995-97, focusing on implementation issues and teacher enhancement. Major findings are as follows: Implementation issues. (1) Development of a shared vision through collaborative interaction between teachers, school administrators, and district administrators is critical to successful program implementation. (2) When a new program is implemented on a district-wide basis, the success of implementation depends upon how well the program matches local goals and needs and how ready the district and teachers are to make changes necessary for implementing the tenets of the program. (3) Development of proper understanding of desired pedagogical approaches requires modeling of these approaches in program activities, with explicit attention drawn to the modeling. (4) Successful implementation of desired pedagogical approaches in the classroom is critically influenced by the support and continual feedback teachers receive from district administrators, building administrators, and their peers. (5) Unwavering commitment of district and school administrators is essential for encouraging more teachers to participate in the program, leading to district-wide implementation without making it mandatory. Teacher Enhancement. (1) Participants developed leadership skills in mentorship, teamwork, presenting at professional meetings, and assuming responsibility within the program. (2) Participants learned to focus more on student questions and concerns, value prior conceptions of students, and develop instructional activities accordingly. They grew in their understanding and use of the constructivist pedagogy. (3) Participants attitude toward teaching in general and science in particular improved markedly, leading to new excitement and enthusiasm toward their profession. (4) Participants became more confident about teaching science. Elementary teachers reported spending more time on science activities and integrating science topics more with other curricular areas. (5) Participants collaborated more with their peers, administrators, and local community resources in improving instructional activities, providing more meaningful learning experiences for their students. (6) Participants integrated more technological resources than they did formerly, helping students explore avenues otherwise inaccessible. This investigation reveals that teacher enhancement is closely related to changed practice, which is critically influenced by implementation issues at broader levels.

Online Platform Support for Sustained, Collaborative and Self-directed Engagement of Teachers in a Blended Professional Development Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osburg, Thomas; Todorova, Albena

Professional development of teachers plays a significant role for the success of educational reforms and for student achievement. Programs for developing teachers’ skills to integrate digital media in the classroom have received increased attention, due to the role of technology in today’s world. Recent research and field experiences have identified elements which contribute to the effectiveness of such programs, among them opportunities for sustained, collaborative and self-directed learning. This paper explores how an online platform of a large scale blended program for professional development, Intel® Teach - Advanced Online, supports the implementation of such opportunities in practice and incorporates them in the structure of the program. The positive outcomes from the program as evidenced by its evaluation indicate that professional development based on the design principles identified as effective by recent research is a viable solution for addressing the limitations of traditional teacher training for technology integration.

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yow, Jan A.; Lotter, Christine

2016-01-01

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

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

2012-01-01

A teacher professional development program for in-service elementary school science teachers, the Rice Elementary Model Science Lab (REMSL), was developed for urban school districts serving predominately high-poverty, high-minority students. Teachers with diverse skills and science capacities came together in Professional Learning Communities, one…

Science teachers' learning in a context of collaborative professional development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faraji, Hassan

The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate and evaluate science teachers' learning in a context of Collaborative Professional Development, specifically in the Collaborative Program, which is under the Texas Regional Collaboratives for Excellence in Science Teaching (TRC). A non-positivistic, naturalistic approach was used to study five middle school science teachers from a large school district in South Central Texas that were involved in this program. The entire data collection process was conducted from June 1998 through September 2000. I distributed a 15-question survey to the five respondents prior to conducting in-depth interviews with them, between July 2000 and December 2000. I made five class observations, one per teacher, from March 2000 to May 2000. I started to analyze my qualitative data in June 2002. I returned to the write-up process in December 2002, and have continued to the conclusion. This study is intended to serve as a source of information and insight for many different people and groups, including current and prospective science teachers and administrators who are planning to participate in the TRC Results of the study showed eight findings: (1) An overwhelming preference for the kind of professional development respondents received in the Collaborative Program, over the kinds of workshops and seminars they has attended in the past; (2) Collaborative-style learning is initially intimidating and difficult for teachers, but ultimately valuable; (3) The teachers apply what they have learned in the Collaborative Program to their own classrooms; (4) Hands-on learning is something that both teachers and their students enjoy; (5) The Collaborative Program has invigorated their sense of themselves as teachers, and as science teachers specifically, and has built their confidence in teaching science; (6) The incentives for teacher participation in the Collaborative Program seem to be intellectual ones just as much as material ones; (7) The presence of multi-grade levels of teachers in the Collaborative Program creates a bi-directional learning environment; and, (8) The only consistent concerns, suggestions, and compliments about the Collaborative Program focus on the application of technology.

Using sunshine for elementary space science education: A model for IHY scientist teacher partnerships

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moldwin, M. B.; Fiello, D.; Harter, E.; Holman, G.; Nagumo, N.; Pryharski, A.; Takunaga, C.

2008-12-01

An elementary science education professional development partnership between Culver City Unified School District teachers and UCLA has been formed. The project was designed to assist teachers to comfortably present introductory space science concepts, to support them in their efforts, and to aid them in encouraging their students to develop inquiry skills related to space sciences. The project encourages teacher use of observational science techniques in their classrooms, the use of NASA solar mission images and enhanced use of astronomical observation to facilitate discovery learning. The integrated approach of the project has fostered collegial learning activities among the participating teachers and offered them opportunities for continued renewal and professional development of teacher competencies in astronomy and space science. The activities used in the classroom were developed by others, classroom tested, and specifically address National Science Education and California Science Content Standards. These activities have been sustained through on-going collaboration between the scientist and the teachers, a summer Research Experience for Teachers program, and on-going, grade-specific, district-sponsored workshops. Assessment of the value of the program is done by the school district and is used to continuously improve each workshop and program component. Culver City (California) Unified School District is a small urban school district located on the Westside of Los Angeles. This paper describes the program and the plans for incorporating IHY-themed science into the classroom.

In-Service Teachers' Training: The Case of University Teachers in Yangon, Myanmar

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ulla, Mark B.

2018-01-01

Research studies show a number of significant contributions of professional development programs towards teachers' teaching skills. This paper explores the views of eight (8) university lecturers in a university in Yangon, Myanmar with regards to the teacher capacity building and language enhancement training program they attended from 2014-2016.…

Unlocking the Secrets of Agency: New Teacher Induction Program Empowers Educator-Centered Growth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Correll, Juliet

2017-01-01

The Arlington Independent School District in Texas has developed a New Teacher Induction Program to foster individual agency for each teacher and empower educator-centered growth, intentionally modeling the same kind of learning designs that teachers apply with students in their classrooms. After exploring elements of the ideal classroom through…

Finding a Third Space in Teacher Education: Creating an Urban Teacher Residency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klein, Emily J.; Taylor, Monica; Onore, Cynthia; Strom, Kathryn; Abrams, Linda

2013-01-01

This paper describes an urban teacher residency program, the Newark Montclair Urban Teacher Residency, a collaborative endeavor between the Newark, New Jersey Public Schools and Montclair State University, built on a decades-long partnership. The authors see the conceptual work of developing this program as creating a "third space" in…

Preservice Teacher Institute: Developing a Model Learning Community for Student Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kent, Andrea M.; Simpson, Jennifer L.

2009-01-01

The Preservice Teacher Institute (PTI) is a budding learning community designed to provide mentoring and support for senior elementary education undergraduate candidates. This program is an effective paradigm for mentoring and inducting new teachers into the profession. PTI is a two-semester program. The first semester is restricted to candidates…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Qingtang; Zhang, Si; Wang, Qiyun

2015-01-01

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

Impact of Professional Development Programs for Teachers of the Gifted

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vidergor, Hava E.; Eilam, Billie

2011-01-01

The aim of the present study was to assess the impact of the Israeli certification program for teachers of gifted children. Pre- and post-tests addressed Israeli teachers' perceptions of unique teaching-learning situations in pullout centers, the desired characteristics of teachers of the gifted, as well as knowledge of gifted and instructional…

Examining the Practice of Critical Reflection for Developing Pre-Service Teachers' Multicultural Competencies: Findings from a Study Abroad Program in Honduras

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharma, Suniti; Phillion, JoAnn; Malewski, Erik

2011-01-01

In response to a critical need in teacher preparation, study abroad programs aimed at developing multicultural competencies in pre-service teachers have proliferated across the United States. Multicultural competencies constitute the ability to challenge misconceptions that lead to discrimination based on cultural difference, reflect on one's…

The Effect of a Suggested Multisensory Phonics Program on Developing Kindergarten Pre-Service Teachers' EFL Reading Accuracy and Phonemic Awareness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ghoneim, Nahed Mohammed Mahmoud; Elghotmy, Heba Elsayed Abdelsalam

2015-01-01

The current study investigates the effect of a suggested multisensory phonics program on developing kindergarten pre-service teachers' EFL reading accuracy and phonemic awareness. A total of 40 fourth year kindergarten pre-service teachers, Faculty of Education, participated in the study that involved one group experimental design. Pre-post tests…

Indonesian Christian Teachers' Perceptions of the Effectiveness of Professional Development Programs Offered by ACSI-I and Indonesian National Department of Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iwani, Amy

2014-01-01

This is a study to examine Indonesian Christian Teachers' Perceptions of the effectiveness of professional development programs offered by the Association of Christian Schools International Indonesia (ACSI-I) and by the Indonesian National Department of Education. The study was focused on how Indonesian Christian teachers perceived the…

Adult Education & Literacy Needs Assessment. New Jersey 1995. A Report on Local Demand for Professional Development and Training.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Merkel-Keller, Claudia; Streeter, Sandra

In response to the National Goals 2000 Literacy initiative, literacy programs in New Jersey increased their efforts to meet literacy goals. In the summer of 1993, a needs assessment survey was conducted to determine the training and program development needs of adult education classroom teachers, teacher aides, substitute teachers, program…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

2013-01-01

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

Effects of a Teacher-Made Multimedia Program on Teaching Driver Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Yeunjoo; Keckley, Kurt

2006-01-01

Through a case study, the authors share a story of a high school special education teacher who developed a multimedia program to teach driver education (i.e., speed limits and road signs). The high school students (n = 24) had mild disabilities, and were enrolled in a driver education class in a rural high school. The teacher developed the…

Historical Research Skills Development in Light of a Training Program for Secondary Stage History Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-qout, Ghada Ahmed

2017-01-01

The study aimed to design a training program to develop the historical research skills after defining the nature of the historical research skills that the history teachers are required to master, especially the secondary stage teachers, in addition to defining the opinions of the educational supervisors on the extent to which the secondary…

The Missouri Career Development and Teacher Excellence Plan: An Initial Study of Missouri's Career Ladder Program. A Technical Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schofer, Richard C.; And Others

The Missouri Plan provides for direct participation of teachers in the planning, development, and implementation of the district career ladder plan. This study analyzed the appropriateness of the Missouri teacher incentive plan. In particular, the study sought to determine why districts did or did not choose to implement career ladder programs;…

A Study on Teacher Training to Incorporate Gamification in Class Design--Program Development and Implementation in a Teacher Training Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shiota, Shingo; Abe, Manabu

2015-01-01

Having classes with "fun" incorporated into their design is crucial for learners. Students can learn from classes that combine learning with fun. In this study, we developed a program for university students in a teacher training course that aimed to teach ways of incorporating gamification into class design. [For the complete…

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

Content knowledge development in a chemistry teacher preparation program: A current potentials and challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Widhiyanti, Tuszie; Treagust, David F.; Mocerino, Mauro; Vishnumolakala, Venkat

2017-08-01

One of the essential facets in teacher education program is the development of the teachers' content knowledge and it has been suggested by many scholars that the study to analyse the process of content knowledge development in teacher education program is necessary. Regarding this, the aim of this research is to evaluate the existing program of developing pre-service chemistry teachers' content knowledge, especially in the topic about the particulate nature of matter. The curriculum of content knowledge development was analysed using the forms of the curriculum evaluation (Akker, 1998; Goodlad, Klein, and Tye (1979); Treagust, 1987). Within this framework, the curriculum was evaluated in several aspects including the vision and intention of the curriculum as mentioned in the curriculum documents (intended curriculum), the users' interpretation and perception about the curriculum (perceived curriculum), the actual process of curriculum implementation (implemented curriculum), and the outcomes of the curriculum (achieved curriculum). According to the framework used for this study, the research combined qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection and the interpretation including document analysis, classroom observation, interviews, and two-tier diagnostic test. Through this research we examined the coherence among those aspects. The results reveal that although the content knowledge development is explicitly intended in a curriculum, its implementation and lecturers' perceptions give influence in the results as appear in pre-service teachers' achievements. In general, this research provides basic information about the effectiveness of the program including the challenges and the potentials for a reconsideration of the program in the future.

Development and Evaluation of the Efficiency of In-Service Training Program with the Theme of Peace Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Basaran, Semra Demir; Karakurt, Sevgi Özden

2017-01-01

In this article, an in-service training program was developed and evaluated to improve the peace education competencies of primary school teachers. This program, named as In-Service Training Program with the Theme of Peace Education for Primary Teachers (BEHEP), was based on the system approach. The implementation was completed in 28 hours with…

Teachers' perceptions of effective science, technology, and mathematics professional development and changes in classroom practices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boriack, Anna Christine

The purpose of this study is to examine teachers' perceptions of professional development and changes in classroom practice. A proposed conceptual framework for effective professional development that results in changes in classroom practices was developed. Data from two programs that provided professional development to teachers in the areas of technology, mathematics, and science was used to inform the conceptual framework. These two programs were Target Technology in Texas (T3) and Mathematics, Science, and Technology Teacher Preparation Academies (MSTTPA). This dissertation used a multiple article format to explore each program separately, yet the proposed conceptual framework allowed for comparisons to be made between the two programs. The first study investigated teachers' perceptions of technology-related professional development after their districts had received a T3 grant. An online survey was administrated to all teachers to determine their perceptions of technology-related professional development along with technology self-efficacy. Classroom observations were conducted to determine if teachers were implementing technology. The results indicated that teachers did not perceive professional development as being effective and were not implementing technology in their classrooms. Teachers did have high technology self-efficacy and perceived adequate school support, which implies that effective professional development may be a large factor in whether or not teachers implement technology in their classrooms. The second study evaluated participants' perceptions of the effectiveness of mathematics and science professional development offered through a MSTTP academy. Current and former participants completed an online survey which measured their perceptions of academy activities and school environment. Participants also self-reported classroom implementation of technology. Interviews and open-ended survey questions were used to provide further insight into academy activities. The results indicated that academy participants perceived effective academy activities along with a supportive school environment. Additionally, participants reported sometimes implementing technology in their classrooms. These findings suggest that several factors might influence the successful classroom implementation of professional development. The data which supports the conceptual framework shows that effective professional development may play a key role in successful classroom implementation. Future professional development activities should be designed around characteristics for effective professional development to increase the likelihood that classroom implementation might occur.

A Space Science Teacher Professional Development Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Limaye, Sanjay S.; Pertzborn, Rosalyn A.

Recent adoption of state/national science education standards by school districts in the US has created a need for effective teacher professional development in space science at elementary middle and high school level. Particularly at the elementary and middle school levels majority of teachers teaching the Astronomy/Space Science content have had little education in the area regardless of when they obtained their certification. To meet this growing need the Office of Space Science Education has developed a program to offer teachers background content knowledge through summer workshops and periodic school year meetings for a small number of teachers from Wisconsin and Illinois. The program has included lectures by experts tours of observatories (professional and amateur) science museums and planetariums and on-line learning. A highlight of the program has been introducing teachers to hands-on observing through remotely accessible telescopes. Another aspect has been to make them aware of the many resources available to them through NASA missions. The most significant benefit for the teachers however has been the creation of a peer group and the support it offers in sharing curriculum and lesson plans. This effort has been supported by a NASA/IDEAS grant

Sustained Professional Development on Cooperative Learning: Impact on Six Teachers' Practices and Students' Learning.

PubMed

Goodyear, Victoria A

2017-03-01

It has been argued, extensively and internationally, that sustained school-based continuous professional development (CPD) has the potential to overcome some of the shortcomings of traditional one-off CPD programs. Yet, the evidence base on more effective or less effective forms of CPD is contradictory. The mechanisms by which sustained support should be offered are unclear, and the impacts on teachers' and students' learning are complex and difficult to track. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a sustained school-based, tailored, and supported CPD program on teachers' practices and students' learning. Data are reported from 6 case studies of individual teachers engaged in a yearlong CPD program focused on cooperative learning. The CPD program involved participatory action research and frequent interaction/support from a boundary spanner (researcher/facilitator). Data were gathered from 29 video-recorded lessons, 108 interviews, and 35 field journal entries. (a) Individualized (external) support, (b) departmental (internal) support, and (c) sustained support impacted teachers' practices of cooperative learning. The teachers adapted their practices of cooperative learning in response to their students' learning needs. Teachers began to develop a level of pedagogical fluency, and in doing so, teachers advanced students' learning. Because this study demonstrates impact, it contributes to international literature on effective CPD. The key contribution is the detailed evidence about how and why CPD supported 6 individual teachers to learn-differently-and the complexity of the learning support required to engage in ongoing curriculum development to positively impact student learning.

Development of Mentor Teacher Role Inventory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koc, Ebru Melek

2011-01-01

This study aimed to develop and investigate the validity and reliability of the Mentor Teacher Role Inventory (MTRI). A total of 1843 student teachers in the Distance English Teacher Training Program participated in the study. The 58 items of the Mentor Teacher Role Inventory underwent principal factor analysis, which revealed nine factors…

Science and Mathematics Teachers' Experiences, Needs, and Expectations regarding Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chval, Kathryn; Abell, Sandra; Pareja, Enrique; Musikul, Kusalin; Ritzka, Gerard

2008-01-01

High quality teachers are essential to improving the teaching and learning of mathematics and science, necessitating effective professional development (PD) and learning environments for teachers. However, many PD programs for science and mathematics teachers fall short because they fail to consider teacher background, experience, knowledge,…

In Search of Practitioner-Based Social Capital: A Social Network Analysis Tool for Understanding and Facilitating Teacher Collaboration in a US-Based STEM Professional Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker-Doyle, Kira J.; Yoon, Susan A.

2011-01-01

This paper presents the first in a series of studies on the informal advice networks of a community of teachers in an in-service professional development program. The aim of the research was to use Social Network Analysis as a methodological tool to reveal the social networks developed by the teachers, and to examine whether these networks…

Teacher Development Program for ATP 2000. Project Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sutphin, Dean; And Others

Agri Tech Prep 2000 (ATP 2000) is a 4-year tech prep program linking high school and postsecondary curricula designed to prepare New York students for careers in agriculture or acceptance into a college program in agriculture. Because teacher development was designated an integral project component for fiscal year 1991-1992, a weeklong teacher…

Using Creativity and Collaboration to Develop Innovative Programs That Embrace Diversity in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, A. Helene

2012-01-01

This paper provides an example of an innovative solution to program development that addresses the diverse needs of teacher educators throughout various geographical locations in Florida, through a collaborative multi-university, multi-agency teacher training program funded by one collaborative grant. In this time of economic uncertainties,…

Valuing the Environment, K-6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Public Schools, Charlotte, NC.

This guide was developed for use in grades K-6 as an enrichment program based on clarifying values. The program, designed by teachers, aims to develop in the student a greater awareness and understanding of the community, themselves, and the earth. The program includes a number of environmental encounters. Topical themes lead teachers and students…

John Tracy Clinic Correspondence Learning Program for Parents of Preschool Deaf-Blind Children. Teacher's Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thielman, Virginia B.; And Others

The teacher's guide outlines lessons from a correspondence learning program for parents of preschool deaf blind children. Learning steps and objectives are listed for eight areas covered by the program: communication, gross motor development, fine motor development, eating, sleeping, toilet training, dressing/undressing, and personal hygiene.…

The History Colloquium Manual: Energizing Professional Development for History Teachers. Occasional Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Council for History Education, Inc., Westlake, OH.

This occasional paper describes the National Council for History Education's program of professional development for history teachers along with the principles that were used to institute the program. The manual is intended as a guide for educators to establish their own history colloquium programs. The 10 sections are: (1)…

Colombian English Teachers' Professional Development: The Case of Master Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Viáfara, John Jairo; Largo, José David

2018-01-01

Master degree programs have rapidly increased in Colombia to the point where they are one of the most favored options for English teachers seeking to bolster their professional development. This survey study characterizes eighty participants, their five master programs, and their perceptions concerning the influence these graduate courses exerted…

Marketing and Distributive Education. Community/Work-Based Programs. An Instructor's Guide to Program Strategies. Cooperative Vocational Education; Vocational Work Experience Education; Community Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holzkamper, Charlot

Designed for use in high school and adult education programs, this manual was developed to help marketing and distributive education teachers to develop or upgrade community/work-based programs; and to assist teachers who operate these programs to use legal operational practices and to meet the occupational needs of their students and communities.…

The Association between a Community College's Teacher Education Program and the 4-Year Graduation Rates of Black and Hispanic Teacher Education Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perkins, Britine; Arvidson, Cody

2017-01-01

In response to a shortage of qualified Black and Hispanic teachers, community colleges (CC) have developed certificate programs and Associate of Arts degrees in teacher education to address shortages of minority teachers in the nation's classrooms. We examined one CC's effectiveness in transferring Black and Hispanic students to university teacher…

Connecting Teacher Preparation to Teacher Induction: Outcomes for Beginning Teachers in a University-Based Support Program in Low-Performing Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bastian, Kevin C.; Marks, Julie T.

2017-01-01

Given concerns with the performance and attrition of novice teachers, North Carolina allocated $7.7 million from Race to the Top to create the New Teacher Support Program (NTSP), an induction model developed and implemented by the state's public university system and targeted at low-performing schools. In this study, we assess the associations…

How Do Pre-Service Science Teachers' Views on Science, Scientists, and Science Teaching Change over Time in a Science Teacher Training Program?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ucar, Sedat

2012-01-01

Every aspect of teaching, including the instructional method, the course content, and the types of assessments, is influenced by teachers' attitudes and beliefs. Teacher education programs play an important role in the development of beliefs regarding teaching and learning. The purpose of the study was to document pre-service teachers' views on…

Binational Teacher Development: Teacher Ambassador Exchange Program, New Mexico, USA and Nuevo Leon, Mexico.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Habermann, Mary Jean

The report describes the rationale for and history of an exchange program for Nuevo Leon (Mexico) and New Mexico bilingual education teachers. The program evolved from the need to help Spanish-speaking students maintain their own language and culture while in the United States. New Mexico's state policy concerning language-minority children and…

The American Indian Teacher Training Program: The Next to Last Piece of the Puzzle.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tonemah, Stuart A.

The American Indian Teacher Training Program (AITTP), a Masters of Education program, aims to train American Indian and Alaska Native teachers to teach American Indian and Alaska Native gifted and talented students and to dispel stereotypes of these students among their colleagues. American Indian Research and Development, Inc. (AIRD, Inc.)…

Does Teaching Experience Matter? Examining Biology Teachers' Prior Knowledge for Teaching in an Alternative Certification Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedrichsen, Patricia J.; Abell, Sandra K.; Pareja, Enrique M.; Brown, Patrick L.; Lankford, Deanna M.; Volkmann, Mark J.

2009-01-01

Alternative certification programs (ACPs) have been proposed as a viable way to address teacher shortages, yet we know little about how teacher knowledge develops within such programs. The purpose of this study was to investigate prior knowledge for teaching among students entering an ACP, comparing individuals with teaching experience to those…

Curriculum, Social Justice, and Inquiry in the Field: Investigating Retention in an Urban Teacher Residency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roegman, Rachel; Pratt, Suzanne; Goodwin, A. Lin; Akin, Sibel

2017-01-01

This qualitative study analyzes the retention data of an urban teacher residency program, a recent approach to developing quality teachers. The authors identify patterns of movers, leavers, and stayers and draw on interview data to better understand residents' (program graduates) perspectives on ways the program informs their practice after…

Practicing What We Preach in Teacher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phillips, Marian B.; Hatch, J. Amos

2000-01-01

Describes reorganization of an early childhood education program for teachers at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Lists changes in program elements, highlights program goals, describes key conceptual features, and includes student comments as evidence of program effectiveness. Notes that program focus is developing the students' capacity…

Tools to Assess the Impact of Teacher Enhancement Programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heatherly, S. A.; Maddalena, R. J.; Govett, A.; Hemler, D.

1997-05-01

Beginning in 1994, the NRAO has hosted an NSF-funded program, ``Research Experience in Teacher Preparation (RETP),'' in which inservice and preservice science teachers participate in residential institutes lasting one or two weeks. While on site, they conduct open-ended investigations using a 40-foot diameter working radio telescope. The aim of RETP has been to deepen and personalize participants' understanding of the nature of science, and to assist them in applying their newfound knowledge to their classroom teaching. So far RETP, and the teacher enhancement programs from which it evolved, have trained 434 inservice and 69 preservice teachers. The impact of the research experience on teachers' perceptions of themselves as professionals and their views of science was initially assessed through open-ended questionnaires and participant journals. From teachers' responses we learned that the research experience has a profound, positive influence on participants' views of science and increased their confidence in using research-based teaching methods. However, determining what actually happens in the classroom is harder to evaluate and requires a more structured approach. Therefore, to determine what changes occurred in teachers and their students, five survey instruments were developed. The instruments: 1) assess changes in teachers' perceptions of their ability to conduct research; 2) gauge teachers' perceptions of three aspects of the institute; 3) measure changes in teachers' concerns about implementing classroom research projects; 4) evaluate the development of teachers' understanding into the nature of science; and 5) determine changes in their students' perceptions of science and science class. To increase the reliability of the instruments, the survey questions were tested for internal consistency. Early results show that the RETP program has significantly affected participants and their students. These instruments are useful not only for evaluating this program but also for evaluating other teacher enhancement and preparation programs.

Adventures in supercomputing: An innovative program for high school teachers

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

Oliver, C.E.; Hicks, H.R.; Summers, B.G.

1994-12-31

Within the realm of education, seldom does an innovative program become available with the potential to change an educator`s teaching methodology. Adventures in Supercomputing (AiS), sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is such a program. It is a program for high school teachers that changes the teacher paradigm from a teacher-directed approach of teaching to a student-centered approach. {open_quotes}A student-centered classroom offers better opportunities for development of internal motivation, planning skills, goal setting and perseverance than does the traditional teacher-directed mode{close_quotes}. Not only is the process of teaching changed, but the cross-curricula integration within the AiS materials ismore » remarkable. Written from a teacher`s perspective, this paper will describe the AiS program and its effects on teachers and students, primarily at Wartburg Central High School, in Wartburg, Tennessee. The AiS program in Tennessee is sponsored by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).« less

Development and Evaluation of a Questionnaire Measuring Pre-Service Teachers' Teaching Behaviour: A Rasch Modelling Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maulana, Ridwan; Helms-Lorenz, Michelle; van de Grift, Wim

2015-01-01

The present study examines the development of a measure tapping students' perceptions of (pre-service) teachers' teaching behaviour to explore the practical value of such a measure in teacher education and teacher professional development programs. From a sample of 1,635 students of 91 pre-service teachers teaching in secondary education in The…

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fulmer, Gavin W.; Liang, Ling L.

2013-02-01

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

Virginia physical science teachers' content knowledge assessment and professional development preferences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hendrick, M. Georgeann

The course content for middle school physical science in Virginia is defined by the Standards of Learning. These eleven categories include topics in scientific experimentation, the nature of matter, chemistry and physics. Content knowledge is essential if teachers are to provide effective teaching, which includes analogies, illustrations, examples, and most importantly, hands-on experimentation. One means of assessing teacher content knowledge is by determining their academic major and minor. Teachers lacking a major or minor in the classes they teach are defined as "out-of-field" by Ingersoll (1996). When he examined data for middle school physical science teachers, 74% were "out-of-field." This survey study had two major facets. First, Virginia teachers were asked to assess their content knowledge in all eleven categories. They were also asked to provide descriptive and demographic data about themselves (including their academic degrees) and their schools. Secondly, the teachers were asked for their professional development preferences as well as organizational logistics including location, time, other participants, and use of technology. The survey was mailed to each school containing an eighth grade within the Commonwealth. The survey response rate was 73%. The data was analyzed descriptively and analytically, using frequency, percentages, T-tests, and ANOVA. Three major findings emerged. (1) The three areas which teachers assessed as lowest content knowledge included PS.11 (Electricity and Magnetism), PS.9 (Light), and PS.8 (Sound). These exactly match the three topics most desired for professional development. (2) Based on Ingersoll's definition, 68% of Virginia's teachers are providing "out-of-field" instruction. In addition, teachers with fewer years of teaching experience or mixed assignments, and/or those teaching in smaller, more rural schools report lower content knowledge. (3) Teachers desire professional development in all eleven categories. They are especially interested in programs which provide hands-on materials. Programs should be organized locally, enabling them to create collaborative teams. This study highlights the importance of professional development support for teachers who often lack an in-depth academic background in the physical sciences. This teacher input should inform program developers. In addition, inquiry into changing student SOL scores after teachers attend such programs could continue this line of inquiry.

Anthropology. Teacher's Resource Packet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC. Museum of Natural History.

This document is a collection of materials developed for the Smithsonian Institution/George Washington University Anthropology for Teachers Program. The program was established to encourage junior and senior high school teachers to integrate anthropology into their social studies and science classes. The materials include several bibliographies:…

Millersville University Secondary Education PDS

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marcum-Dietrich, Nanette I.; Mahoney, Tim

2015-01-01

Millersville University of Pennsylvania (MU) has over 150 years of proud heritage in the preparation of teachers. This article describes how the Secondary Education Professional Development School (PDS) Program model has transformed Millersville University's secondary teacher education from a traditional teacher preparation program into a dynamic…

Neuro-Linguistics Programming: Developing Effective Communication in the Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Torres, Cresencio; Katz, Judy H.

1983-01-01

Students and teachers experience the world primarily through visual, kinesthetic, or auditory representational systems. If teachers are aware of their own favored system and those of their students, classroom communication will improve. Neurolinguistic programing can help teachers become more effective communicators. (PP)

A Framework for Teachers' Knowledge of Mathematical Reasoning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herbert, Sandra

2014-01-01

Exploring and developing primary teachers' understanding of mathematical reasoning was the focus of the "Mathematical Reasoning Professional Learning Research Program." Twenty-four primary teachers were interviewed after engagement in the first stage of the program incorporating demonstration lessons focused on reasoning conducted in…

An Examination of Existing Guidelines for Programs for the Preservice and Inservice Education of Teachers in Metric Education and the Modification of These and the Development of New Ones if Deemed Necessary. Final Report of Objective No. 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Granito, Dolores

These guidelines for in-service and preservice teacher education related to the conversion to the metric system were developed from a survey of published materials, university faculty, and mathematics supervisors. The eleven guidelines fall into three major categories: (1) design of teacher training programs, (2) teacher training, and (3)…

Challenges and Needed Developments in Teacher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andrews, L.O.

Radically different programs must be designed to produce the kind of professional teachers needed for the 1980's. Appropriate programs must be developed for the differentiated roles: diagnostician of pupil needs and learning problems; developer, applier, and evaluator of learning strategies; instructional leader of staff groups; specialist in the…

Professional Development Which Provides an Icing on the Pedagogical Cake.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gardner, Jenny

Because the quality of teachers determines the quality of the school system, teachers must be provided with high-caliber inservice programs. During the 1980s, responsibility for the provision of professional development in Australia shifted to local schools. Under the current National Professional Development Program (NPDP), the Australian…

Effect of Teachers' Professional Development from Mathforward™ on Students' Math Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Kristina K.; Bicer, Ali; Capraro, Robert M.

2017-01-01

MathForward™, developed in 2004-2005 in cooperation with the Richardson (TX) Independent School District, was implemented nationwide in 2007. The program integrates TI technology and professional development while focusing on student achievement and teacher efficacy. This study investigated the effect of the MathForward™ program on student…

Common Features of Professional Development Activities for Mathematics and Science Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moyer-Packenham, Patricia S.; Bolyard, Johnna J.; Oh, Hana; Cerar, Nancy Irby

2011-01-01

This study examines professional development activities provided for mathematics and science teachers in the National Science Foundation's Math and Science Partnership Program by analyzing a cross-sectional sample of over 2000 professional development (PD) activities in the program. Data were gathered from secondary source documents and surveys to…

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Passow, Michael J.

2015-04-01

By Law, there is no national curriculum in the U.S.A., so each State sets its own regulations for teacher certification and professional development. The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS, http://www.nextgenscience.org/next-generation-science-standards) provide guidelines for teacher training and curriculum development in Earth Science, Life Science, and the physical sciences (chemistry and biology). Presented here are examples of effective programs designed to support in-service Earth Science teachers, especially at the middle school and high school level (grades 6 - 12, ages 12 - 18). The Earth2Class Workshops for Teachers at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University (E2C) provides monthly gatherings of research scientists and teachers to learn about cutting-edge investigations in a wide variety of fields, and develop lesson plans to share these discoveries. The E2C website, www.earth2class.org/site, also provides a wide variety of educational resources used by teachers and students to learn about the planet. The National Earth Science Teachers Association (www.nestanet.org) is the largest professional society focused on pre-college Earth Science education. Together with its partner, Windows to the Universe (www.windows2universe.org), NESTA offers workshops and other programs at national and regional teacher conferences, a quarterly journal designed for classroom use, monthly E-Newsletters, and one of the largest collection of web resources in education. For more than twenty years, the American Meteorological Society has trained teachers across the country through its online courses: DataStreme Weather, DataStreme Ocean, and DataStreme Earth's Climate System (www.ametsoc.org/amsedu). Informal science education institutions also provide strong in-person and web-based professional development programs. Among these are the American Museum of Natural History's "Seminars on Science" (http://www.amnh.org/learn/) and many programs for educators that utilize the AMNH collections in New York City. Each year at the American Geophysical Union Meeting, teachers find out about "Hot Topics in Science" through the GIFT Workshops (http://education.agu.org/education-activities-at-agu-meetings/gift/). Field experiences aboard the scientific ocean drilling vessel, "JOIDES Resolution," have enhanced the knowledge and skills of teachers from the USA and Europe (http://joidesresolution.org/node/3002). Many teachers also connect with each other through the ESPRIT list-serv and others (http://external.oneonta.edu/mentor/listserv.html). These are just a sample of the many programs offered to provide life-long professional development for Earth Science educators and promote 'Science in Tomorrow's Classroom.'

Organizing physics teacher professional education around productive habit development: A way to meet reform challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Etkina, Eugenia; Gregorcic, Bor; Vokos, Stamatis

2017-06-01

Extant literature on teacher preparation suggests that preservice teachers learn best when they are immersed in a community that allows them to develop dispositions, knowledge, and practical skills and share with the community a strong vision of what good teaching entails. However, even if the requisite dispositions, knowledge, and skills in pursuing the shared vision of good teaching are developed, the professional demands on a teacher's time are so great out of, and so complex during class time that if every decision requires multiple considerations and deliberations with oneself, the productive decisions might not materialize. We argue that the link between intentional decision making and actual teaching practice are teacher's habits (spontaneous responses to situational cues). Teachers unavoidably develop habits with practical experience and under the influence of knowledge and belief structures that in many ways condition the responses of teachers in their practical work. To steer new teachers away from developing unproductive habits directed towards "survival" instead of student learning, we propose that teacher preparation programs (e.g., in physics) strive to develop in preservice teachers strong habits of mind and practice that will serve as an underlying support structure for beginning teachers. We provide examples of physics teacher habits that are to be developed during the program, propose mechanisms for the development of such habits, and outline possible future research agendas around habits.

Cooperation: A Key to Urban Teacher Education. Cooperative Urban Teacher Education Program, No. 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clothier, Grant; Swick, James

The Laboratory's Cooperative Urban Teacher Education Program (CUTE), presently involving 23 Midwest liberal arts colleges plus four public and two parochial school systems in Oklahoma City, Wichita, and Kansas City, was organized in 1966 to develop and implement practical plans for cooperation in the preparing of teachers for inner-city schools. A…

Computer Literacy for Student Teachers and Elementary Children through Programming.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elliott, John D.

This paper argues that teachers and students should be creators as well as consumers of computer software, not only so that they might better appreciate the skills involved, but also to improve teacher effectiveness in the classroom. As part of their own class work, 13 second-year student teachers developed a branching program using simple basic…

Living Alongside: Teacher Educator Experiences Working in a Community-Based Aboriginal Teacher Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kitchen, Julian; Hodson, John

2013-01-01

Aboriginal education in Canada needs to shift away from the assimilative model to a model of culturally responsive pedagogy. Teacher education programs that serve Aboriginal teachers have an important role to play in developing an education system that both meets mainstream and Indigenous criteria for success. This paper examines the experiences…

Theory and Implementation of an Innovative Teacher Professional Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seals, Christopher; Mehta, Swati; Wolf, Leigh Graves; Marcotte, Candace

2017-01-01

U.S. teachers have less time to plan, collaborate, and research related work in comparison to teachers in competing countries (NECTL) and time is needed for teachers to learn new skills, understand new concepts, and to integrate new ideas into their practice (Corcoran, 1995). The MSUrbanSTEM Teaching and Leadership Fellowship program is a…

Exploring Middle School Teachers' Perceptions and Applications of a Site-Based, Technology-Related Professional Development Program Focused on Interactive Whiteboards and Classroom Response Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Desai, Shreya J.

2012-01-01

This qualitative study examined five middle school teachers' perceptions of a site-based, technology-related professional development (TRPD) program focused on the interactive whiteboard (IWB) and the classroom response system (CRS) and the practices implemented in the teachers' classrooms as a result of participation in the TRPD…

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…

The Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS) Education and Outreach (E/PO) Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peticolas, L. M.; Craig, N.; Odenwald, S. F.; Walker, A.; Russell, C. T.; Angelopoulos, V.; Willard, C.; Larson, M. B.; Hiscock, W. A.; Stoke, J. M.; Moldwin, M. B.

2008-12-01

During the pre-launch phase of NASA’s THEMIS mission, the Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) program successfully brought the excitement of THEMIS to the public, students and teachers through a variety of programs. The Geomagnetic Event Observation Network by Students (GEONS) was the main effort during this time, a project in which 13 magnetometers were placed in or near 13 rural schools across the country. High school teachers and a few middle school teachers at these and/or neighboring schools took part in a long-term professional development program based around space science and the magnetometer data. The teachers created week-long to semester-long projects during which their students worked on THEMIS lessons that they, their colleagues, and the E/PO team created. In addition to this program, THEMIS E/PO also launched the only Lawrence Hall of Science (LHS) Great Explorations in Mathematics and Science (GEMS) site in Nevada. This site provides a sustainable place for teacher professional development using hands-on GEMS activities, and has been used by teachers around the state of Nevada. Short-term professional development for K-12 teachers (one-hour to two-day workshops), with a focus on the Tribal College and Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) communities have reached hundreds of teachers across the country. A Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) ViewSpace show on auroras and THEMIS was created and distributed, and shown in over a hundred science centers and museums nationwide. The THEMIS E/PO program developed and maintained a THEMIS E/PO Website for dissemination of (1) information and multimedia about the science and engineering of THEMIS, (2) updated news about the mission in language appropriate for the public, (3) the GEONS data, the GEONS teacher guides with classroom activities, and (4) information about the THEMIS E/PO program. Hundreds of thousands of visitors have viewed this website. In this paper, we describe these programs along with the evaluation results, and discuss what lessons we learned along the way.

Rethinking Staff Development in Kenya: Agenda for the Twenty-first Century.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wanzare, Zachariah; Ward, Kenneth L.

2000-01-01

Provides an overview of current staff development practices and procedures in Kenya and suggests that teachers and head teachers need staff development opportunities to grow professionally, although current inservice training programs in Kenya are skewed to meet the needs of only a few teachers. Discusses the role of the head teacher in…

Challenges in Japanese Teachers' Professional Development: A Focus on an Alternative Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arani, Mohammad Reza Sarkar; Matoba, Masami

2006-01-01

In this paper we examine challenges of Japanese teachers' professional development which points to the essential change in in-service teacher training programs. Emphasis is placed here on an integrated model for professional development that should be deliberately designed to assist teacher training to construct an understanding of the spirit of…

Assessing pre-service science teachers' technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) through observations and lesson plans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Canbazoglu Bilici, Sedef; Selcen Guzey, S.; Yamak, Havva

2016-05-01

Background: Technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) is critical for effective teaching with technology. However, generally science teacher education programs do not help pre-service teachers develop TPACK. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess pre-service science teachers' TPACK over a semester-long Science Methods. Sample: Twenty-seven pre-service science teachers took the course toward the end of their four-year teacher education program. Design and method: The study employed the case study methodology. Lesson plans and microteaching observations were used as data collection tools. Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge-based lesson plan assessment instrument (TPACK-LpAI) and Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge Observation Protocol (TPACK-OP) were used to analyze data obtained from observations and lesson plans. Results: The results showed that the TPACK-focused Science Methods course had an impact on pre-service teachers' TPACK to varying degrees. Most importantly, the course helped teachers gain knowledge of effective usage of educational technology tools. Conclusion: Teacher education programs should provide opportunities to pre-service teachers to develop their TPACK so that they can effectively integrate technology into their teaching.

Practices implemented by a Texas charter school system to overcome science teacher shortage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yasar, Bilgehan M.

The purpose of this study was to examine practices used by a charter school system to hire and retain science teachers. The research design for this study was a qualitative case study. This single instrumental case study explored the issue within a bounded system. Purposeful sampling strategy was used to identify the participants who were interviewed individually. Findings of the case study supported that using online resources, advertising in the newspaper, attending job fairs, using alternative certification programs, attracting alumni, contacting the college of educations and hiring internationally helped the charter school system with hiring science teachers. Improving teacher salary scale, implementing teacher mentorship programs, reimbursing teachers for certification and master's programs, providing professional development and supporting teachers helped to retain science teachers. Therefore, this study contributes to determining strategies and techniques, selecting methods and programs, training administrators, and monitoring for successful hiring and retaining science teacher implementation.

Preservice Teachers' Identity Development during the Teaching Internship

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nghia, Tran Le Huu; Tai, Huynh Ngoc

2017-01-01

This article reports the analysis of two preservice teachers' narratives to highlight the process of teacher identity development during their teaching internship. The analysis showed that their teacher identities had been shaped before they entered the teacher education program where it continued to be shaped by educational experts. In that way,…

Developing Technology Teachers: Questioning the Industrial Tool Use Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, John W.; Lovedahl, Gerald G.

2004-01-01

In this article, the author questions the role of technology teacher preparation programs that are based on an "industrial tool use" model to develop technology education teachers. It is the position of the authors that the manner by which technology education teachers are prepared may need revision and that technology teacher educators…

Transforming Teacher Education: Lessons in Professional Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sockett, Hugh T., Ed.; DeMulder, Elizabeth K., Ed.; LePage, Pamela C., Ed.; Wood, Diane R., Ed.

This book investigates many aspects of educational reform, pivoting around an innovative master's degree program for teachers. After "Foreword" (David T. Hansen), there are 14 papers: (1) "Transforming Teacher Education" (Hugh T. Sockett); (2) "From Educational Rhetoric to Program Reality" (Hugh T. Sockett and Pamela…

ICT Competency Standards for Teachers: Competency Standards Modules

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), 2008

2008-01-01

Both professional development programs for teachers currently in the classroom and programs for preparing future teachers should provide technology-rich experiences throughout all aspects of the training. Standards and resources within the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)'s project "Information and…

Examining Changes in Beliefs and Practices: English Language Teachers' Participation in the School-Based Support Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chaaban, Youmen

2017-01-01

This article examines changes in teachers' beliefs and practices over the course of a professional development (PD) program concerned with the implementation of a constructivist-oriented pedagogy in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms. Grounded in situative theories of learning and development, the School-based Support Program places…

An Evaluation of a School-Based Professional Development Program on Teachers' Efficacy for Technology Integration: Findings from an Initial Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skoretz, Yvonne; Childress, Ronald

2013-01-01

The purpose of this program evaluation was to determine the impact of a school-based, job-embedded professional development program on elementary and middle school teacher efficacy for technology integration. Participant bi-weekly journal postings were analyzed using Grappling's "Technology and Learning Spectrum" (Porter, 2001) to…

THE DEVELOPMENT OF A WORK ORIENTATION PROGRAM FOR HOME ECONOMICS RELATED OCCUPATIONS, 1964-1966.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

FETTERMAN, ELSIE

THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY, WHICH IS A SUMMARY OF A DOCTORAL DISSERTATION, WAS TO DEVELOP A WORK ORIENTATION PROGRAM FOR HOME ECONOMICS-RELATED OCCUPATIONS IN CONNECTICUT. QUESTIONNAIRES WERE SENT TO 43 TEACHERS OF SUCH PROGRAMS IN THE UNITED STATES AND ALL RESPONDED, GIVING INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR OBJECTIVES, COURSES, TEACHERS' BACKGROUNDS,…

Teacher/Intern Partnerships in Isolated Areas: A Project Overview.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yarrow, Allan; Ballantyne, Roy; Hansford, Brian; Herschell, Paul; Millwater, Jan

1998-01-01

Describes a collaborative project designed to better prepare Australian preservice teachers for teaching in remote schools through six-week rural mentorship programs and joint preservice and inservice professional development. Discusses how development of partnerships among cooperating institutions and between teachers, student teachers, and the…

Impact of Chemistry Teachers' Knowledge and Practices on Student Achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scantlebury, Kathryn

2008-10-01

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

The Ready to Teach Program: A Federal Initiative in Support of Online Courses for Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gill, Wanda E.

2011-01-01

The report, "The Ready to Teach Program: A Federal Initiative in Support of Online Courses for Teachers", describes the history of the Ready to Teach Program and its role as one of the solutions to the national need to increase the performance of teachers through professional development. The report describes selected findings from the Eisenhower…

Cameras in the Curriculum. A Challenge to Teacher Creativity. Volume 1, 1982/83. An NEA/KODAK Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ford, Faye, Ed.

This book describes 119 award-winning projects from a program which established a national teachers' competition to select and disseminate superior teacher-planned and developed programs which use photography as an integral part of the K-12 school curriculum. All subject areas, grade levels, and states are represented in summaries of projects that…

Developing Action-Oriented Knowledge among Preservice Teachers: Exploring Learning to Teach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rust, Frances; Bergey, NancyLee

2014-01-01

In this article, the authors' intent is to focus in on one elementary teacher education program and, specifically, on the ways in which that program has grappled with and continues to grapple with the questions of whether and how teacher education works relative to the claim that this is a program committed to social justice and designed to…

Enhancing literacy practices in science classrooms through a professional development program for Canadian minority-language teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rivard, Léonard P.; Gueye, Ndeye R.

2016-05-01

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 in different classrooms. We also wanted to identify the challenges and enablers to implementing these literacy strategies and practices at the classroom, school, and district levels. Data collection involved both qualitative and quantitative methodologies: student questionnaires; interviews with teachers, principals, and mentor; and focus groups with students. The findings suggest that the program had an impact on beliefs and practices commensurate with the workshop participation of individual teachers. These language-enhanced teacher practices also had a positive impact on the use of talking, reading and writing by students in the science classroom. Finally, continuing PD support may be needed in certain jurisdictions for strengthening minority-language programs given the high teacher mobility in content-area classrooms evident in this study.

Perceptual Motor Development. A Performance-Based Early Childhood-Special Education Teacher Preparation Program. Monograph 11.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beers, Carol; And Others

The perceptual motor development module, the eleventh in a series developed for the Early Childhood-Special Education Teacher Preparation Program at the University of Virginia, provides the student with basic information on the physiological development of young children. A number of learning and measurement activities related to children's…

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dunton, K.; Schonberg, S.

2006-12-01

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

Teaching Explicitly and Reflecting on Elements of Nature of Science: a Discourse-Focused Professional Development Program with Four Fifth-Grade Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piliouras, Panagiotis; Plakitsi, Katerina; Seroglou, Fanny; Papantoniou, Georgia

2017-06-01

The nature of science (NOS) has become a central goal of science education in many countries. This study refers to a developmental work research program, in which four fifth-grade elementary in-service teachers participated. It aimed to improve their understandings of NOS and their abilities to teach it effectively to their students. The 1-year-long, 2012-2013, program consisted of a series of activities to support teachers to develop their pedagogical content knowledge of NOS. In order to accomplish our goal, we enabled teacher-researchers to analyze their own discourse practices and to trace evidence of effective NOS teaching. Many studies indicate the importance of examining teachers' discussions about science in the classroom, since it is teachers' understanding of NOS reflected in these discussions that will have a vital impact on students' learning. Our proposal is based on the assumption that reflecting on the ways people form meanings enables us to examine and seek alternative ways to communicate aspects of NOS during science lessons. The analysis of discourse data, which has been carried out with the teacher-researchers' active participation, indicated that initially only a few aspects of NOS were implicitly incorporated in teacher-researchers' instruction. As the program evolved, all teacher-researchers presented more informed views on targeted NOS aspects. On the whole, our discourse-focused professional development program with its participatory, explicit, and reflective character indicated the importance of involving teacher-researchers in analyzing their own talk. It is this involvement that results in obtaining a valuable awareness of aspects concerning pedagogical content knowledge of NOS teaching.

Teachers' Practice a Decade After an Extensive Professional Development Program in Science Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Furman Shaharabani, Yael; Tal, Tali

2017-10-01

Science teachers are expected to teach in innovative ways that are different from their long experience as students. Professional development programs are planned to help teachers' development, yet, there is little knowledge of the long-term effects of professional development programs (PDPs), and especially on actual practice. The purpose of this study is to gain a long-term perspective of the ways in which the process and outcomes of a reform-oriented, extended PDP are expressed in science teachers' practice. Data sources included interviews and documents. The study presents four case studies of the practices of junior high school science teachers (grades 7-9) in Israel, with respect to a past PDP in which they took part a decade ago. The cases are presented in pairs of a leader and a follower. Each case details the teacher's work context, sustained implementation, coherence of tools and approaches, and adaptations. All four teachers shared the view that scientific skills are important to their students as learners in a changing world. All four teachers adopted one or two major approaches, which were the PDP's main focus. In addition, the two leaders adopted two more approaches. The teachers were still using many strategies associated with the major foci of the PDP. The level of enactment and modifications of the strategies varied. Usability of innovations is discussed in relation to the teachers' context. We suggest that science teachers' professional development include the ability to adapt the innovation to their teaching context in order to sustain the changes for a long period of time.

Secondary science teachers' view toward and classroom translation of sustained professional development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lewis, Elizabeth Blake

This study concerns the phenomenon of secondary science teacher learning and enacting instructional strategies learned at the Communication in Science Inquiry Project (CISIP) teacher professional development events, as well as teacher perception of, and relationship to, this year-long professional development program. The CISIP program teaches science teachers how to build scientific classroom discourse communities with their students. Some of the science teachers were previous participants in the professional development, and acted as mentor teachers. The research design employed an integrated conceptual framework of situated learning theory with an analytical lens of teachers' professional, institutional and affinity, identities. A multi-method approach was used to generate data. Throughout the 2007-2008 academic year, the teachers' fidelity to the professional development model was measured using a classroom observation instrument aligned with the professional development model. From these observation data a longitudinal model, using hierarchical linear modeling, was constructed. In addition, surveys and interview data were used to construct both whole group and case studies of two high school science teachers who taught biology at the same school. The results indicated that there was a significant difference between previous and new participants; specifically, the longer teachers had participated in the professional development, and adopted a mentorship role, the greater their fidelity of classroom instruction to the CISIP model. Additionally, the case study teacher who developed a CISIP model-aligned affinity identity implemented more of the instructional strategies than the teacher who maintained his school-based institutional identity.

The effects of a professional development program for physics teachers on their teaching and the learning of their students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Mee-Kyeong

The purposes of the study were (1) to investigate the effects of the 2000 Iowa Professional Development Program on classroom teaching and student learning and (2) to examine the effectiveness of Constructivist/STS approaches in terms of student perceptions regarding their science classrooms, student attitudes toward science, and student creativity. The 2000 Iowa Professional Development Program which focused on Constructivist/STS approaches was carried out at the University of Iowa for visiting Korean physics teachers. Several methods of data collection were used, including observations by means of classroom videotapes, teacher perception surveys, teacher interviews, and student surveys. The data collected was analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative methods. Major findings include: (1) The 2000 Iowa Professional Development Program did not significantly influence teacher perceptions concerning their teaching in terms of Constructivist/STS approaches in their classrooms. (2) The 2000 Iowa Professional Development Program significantly influenced improvement in teaching practices regarding Constructivist/STS approaches. (3) Students taught with Constructivist/STS approaches perceived their learning environments as more constructivist than did those taught with traditional methods. (4) Students taught with Constructivist/STS approaches improved significantly in the development of more positive attitudes toward science, while such positive attitudes decreased among students taught with traditional methods. (5) Students taught with Constructivist/STS approaches improved significantly in their use of creativity skills over those taught in traditional classrooms. (6) Most teachers favored the implementation of Constructivist/STS approaches. They perceived that students became more interested in lessons utilizing such approaches over time. The major difficulties which the teachers experienced with regard to the implementation of Constructivist/STS teaching include: inability to cover required curriculum content; getting away from textbooks; acceptance by parents, community, and supervisors; motivating students to be involved in classroom activities; and lack of materials for Constructivist/STS teaching. The results imply that efforts to improve educational conditions, in tandem with more consistent and ongoing professional development programs, are necessary to encourage teachers to use what they learned, to keep their initial interest and ideas alive, and to contribute specifically to the reform of science education.

Developing pre-service science teachers' pedagogical content knowledge by using training program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Udomkan, Watinee; Suwannoi, Paisan

2018-01-01

A training program was developed for enhancing pre-service science teachers' pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). The pre-service science teachers are able to: understand science curriculum, knowledge of assessment in science, knowledge of students' understanding of science, instructional strategies and orientations towards science teaching, which is conceptualized as PCK [5]. This study examined the preservice science teachers' understandings and their practices which include five pre-service science teachers' PCK. In this study, the participants demonstrated their PCK through the process of the training program by writing content representations (CoRes), preparing the lesson plans, micro-teaching, and actual teaching respectively. All pre-service science teachers' performs were collected by classroom observations. Then, they were interviewed. The results showed that the pre-service science teachers progressively developed knowledge components of PCK. Micro-teaching is the key activities for developing PCK. However, they had some difficulties in their classroom teaching. They required of sufficient ability to design appropriate instructional strategies and assessment activities for teaching. Blending content and pedagogy is also a matter of great concern. The implication of this study was that science educators can enhance pre-service science teachers' PCK by fostering their better understandings of the instructional strategies, assessment activities and blending between content and pedagogy in their classroom.

The AGI-ASU-NASA Triad Program for K-12 Earth and Space Science Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pacheco, H. A.; Semken, S. C.; Taylor, W.; Benbow, A. E.

2011-12-01

The NASA Triad program of the American Geological Institute (AGI) and Arizona State University School of Earth and Space Exploration (ASU SESE) is a three-part effort to promote Earth and space science literacy and STEM education at the national level, funded by NASA through a cooperative agreement starting in 2010. NASA Triad comprises (1) infusion of NASA STEM content into AGI's secondary Earth science curricula; (2) national lead teacher professional development workshops; and (3) an online professional development guide for teachers running NASA STEM workshops. The Triad collaboration draws on AGI's inquiry-based curriculum and teacher professional-development resources and workforce-building programs; ASU SESE's spectrum of research in Mars and Moon exploration, astrobiology, meteoritics, Earth systems, and cyberlearning; and direct access to NASA facilities and dynamic education resources. Triad milestones to date include integration of NASA resources into AGI's print and online curricula and two week-long, national-scale, teacher-leader professional development academies in Earth and space sciences presented at ASU Dietz Museum in Tempe and NASA Johnson Space Flight Center in Houston. Robust front-end and formative assessments of these program components, including content gains, teacher-perceived classroom relevance, teacher-cohort lesson development, and teacher workshop design, have been conducted. Quantitative and qualitative findings from these assessment activities have been applied to identify best and most effective practices, which will be disseminated nationally and globally through AGI and NASA channels.

Supporting Universal Prevention Programs: A Two-Phased Coaching Model

PubMed Central

Becker, Kimberly D.; Darney, Dana; Domitrovich, Celene; Keperling, Jennifer Pitchford; Ialongo, Nicholas S.

2013-01-01

Schools are adopting evidence-based programs designed to enhance students’ emotional and behavioral competencies at increasing rates (Hemmeter, Snyder, & Artman, 2011). At the same time, teachers express the need for increased support surrounding implementation of these evidence-based programs (Carter & Van Norman, 2010). Ongoing professional development in the form of coaching may enhance teacher skills and implementation (Noell et al., 2005; Stormont, Reinke, Newcomer, Darney, & Lewis, 2012). There exists a need for a coaching model that can be applied to a variety of teacher skill levels and one that guides coach decision-making about how best to support teachers. This article provides a detailed account of a two-phased coaching model with empirical support developed and tested with coaches and teachers in urban schools (Becker, Bradshaw, Domitrovich, & Ialongo, 2013). In the initial universal coaching phase, all teachers receive the same coaching elements regardless of their skill level. Then, in the tailored coaching phase, coaching varies according to the strengths and needs of each teacher. Specifically, more intensive coaching strategies are used only with teachers who need additional coaching supports whereas other teachers receive just enough support to consolidate and maintain their strong implementation. Examples of how coaches used the two-phased coaching model when working with teachers who were implementing two universal prevention programs (i.e., the PATHS® curriculum and PAX Good Behavior Game [PAX GBG]) provide illustrations of the application of this model. The potential reach of this coaching model extends to other school-based programs as well as other settings in which coaches partner with interventionists to implement evidence-based programs. PMID:23660973

Developing Mentors: An Analysis of Shared Mentoring Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bower-Phipps, Laura; Klecka, Cari Van Senus; Sature, Amanda L.

2016-01-01

Understanding how experienced teachers share and articulate effective mentoring practices can guide efforts to prepare quality mentors. This qualitative study focused on mentoring practices within a teacher-designed student-teaching program conceptualized while the mentor teachers within the program were students in a graduate-level mentoring…

Promoting Student Engagement through Scholarship in a Teacher Preparation Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanchez, Claudia; Olson-Pacheco, Ali; Grosso, Liliana; Hanley, Elizabeth

2008-01-01

A project entitled "Academic Presentations and Publications by Leaders in Education" (Project APPLE) was developed to offer pre-service teachers opportunities to grow professionally outside traditional coursework requirements. Project APPLE seeks to engage students in teacher education programs in two types of scholarly activities: professional…

A Proposed Incentive System for Jefferson County Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schlechty, Phillip C.; Ingwerson, Donald W.

1987-01-01

Outlines a teacher incentive plan developed for the Jefferson County (Kentucky) Public Schools and scheduled for pilot testing during the 1987-88 school year. The program is modeled after airline frequent flyer programs and is designed to encourage cooperative action and individual incentive among teachers. (MD)

The Edelman Galileoscope Education Program: A Collaboration Among Professional Societies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pompea, Stephen M.; Marvel, K. B.; Fienberg, R. T.; Arion, D. N.; Herrold, A.; Kruse, B.; Sparks, R. T.; Dugan, C.

2011-01-01

The Edelman Galileoscope Education Program is an ongoing national effort to provide K-12 teachers with Galileoscope refractor kits and the proper training to use them effectively for teaching scientific concepts and observational skills. As such it represents a strategic effort to excite children about astronomy and provides them with a powerful tool to increase science literacy. The program was made possible by a generous gift from Jean and Ric Edelman to the American Astronomical Society (AAS). The AAS teamed with the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO); Galileoscope, LLC; the National Earth Science Teachers Association (NESTA); and the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) to distribute telescopes, mainly during teacher workshops. Through the professional development efforts of NESTA, ASP, and NOAO's Teaching With Telescopes program some 1,400 teachers received Galileoscopes and hands-on training on how to teach optics and astronomy with them. All participating teachers received Galileoscopes free of charge. Another 1,500 or so teachers not connected with these organizations also received telescopes free of charge through an Internet ordering system, paying only for shipping. Under this combination of programs more than 15,000 Galileoscopes have been given to active teachers, reaching an estimated 300,000 students. The professional development program uses a combination of face-to-face workshops, a train-the-trainer model, and Internet-based self-paced instruction. We describe the Edelman Galileoscope Education Program design, training materials, and distribution networks, as well as the geographic distribution of the teachers who received Galileoscopes. This program represents an efficient and effective model for quickly distributing valuable science teaching materials to urban, suburban, and rural teachers _ including homeschoolers _ across the United States.

Source Units Developed as Part of an Internship Program in Agriculture/Agribusiness.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mannebach, Alfred J., Ed.

This guide includes 12 source units of instruction developed by teachers of vocational agriculture who participated in an internship program in agriculture/agribusiness, which was designed to up-date the knowledge and skills of teachers of vocational agriculture in their areas of teaching specialization and to develop source units of instruction…

US: A Cultural Mosaic. Teacher Handbook for a Primary-Grade Multidiscipline, Multicultural Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martinez, Jimmie; Watters, Arlene

Activities and objectives for helping elementary school pupils develop a multiethnic and multicultural orientation toward American history and culture are presented in this teacher's guide. The major objective was to develop an interdisciplinary educational program which would influence young children in a positive way as they developed life-long…

Spanish Native Language Arts Staff Development Turnkey Training Program, Spring 1989. OREA Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berney, Tomi D.

The Spanish Native Language Arts Development Turnkey Training Program attempted to create a network of secondary school administrators and teachers of Spanish acquainted with current research and methodology and able to provide staff development in native language arts for teachers of native Spanish speakers of limited English proficiency. Nine…

A model teacher education program in health occupations at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, USA.

PubMed

Vittetoe, M C

1977-01-01

The Health Occupations Teacher Education Program at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, U.S.A. has been shown to be a viable and productive model for the preparation of health occupations teacher for both traditional and non-traditional educational settings. Since 1971 the undergraduate program has grown from twelve students to 30 students on-campus, with more than two hundred students in the extramural and part-time programs. Recruitment has been accomplished through professional association meetings, journals and personal contacts. More recently, persons have heard of the program through extramural classes and from students, graduates or University personnel who have become familiar with the program. Program development has been effected through the "capstone" concept, which allows for transfer of technical credit in one's specialty, capped by teacher education courses and concentrated courses to enhance one's expertise in the teaching role. Courses developed by the HOTEP faculty are based on perceived student needs, and were designed as both integrative and collaborative courses to be taken with other health care practitioners and teachers. Evaluation procedures have shown the health occupations teacher education program to be effective in preparing graduates for their predicted roles. The numbers of new students, kinds of health practitioners, and numbers of graduates have increased steadily. Implementation of courses into the Health Occupations Teacher Education Program curriculum has been gradual, so that the undergraduate core of courses is now considered to be nearly complete. Much curriculum planning has already been completed on the master's program, from which some students have already graduated. A doctoral program is also open to those ready for this level of preparation. More time and effort needs to be and will be expended on courses for the master's and doctoral level programs being developed. This health occupations teacher education has been a transportable model for similar programs begun at several other U.S. universities. Many requests have been received from health occupations teacher educators from other states wishing information on this program. Experience gained in this program shows that there is a need for more health occupations teachers in the State of Illinois (2). More requests are being received both at the program and individual levels. Graduates of the program have attested to the benefits of a multidisciplinary program in its effectiveness for preparation in the health care team concept. Student teaching, according to present students and graduates, is the single most effective experience in preparation for the future teaching setting. Since students are placed in a facility resembling as closely as possible the one in which they expect to be employed, there is a real identification with the school and students. The uniqueness of this program lies in its mix of students from the various health fields...

Not Just for CTE Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reese, Susan

2005-01-01

Connecting education and careers through professional development experiences can benefit academic teachers as well as career tech teachers. At the Upper Rio Grande College Tech-Prep Youth Consortium in El Paso, Texas, there is a professional development program that helps academic teachers see the connection between learning and earning. A…

Rethinking Curriculum and Instruction: Lessons from an Integrated Learning Program and Its Impact on Students and Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doyle, Dennis; Huie Hofstetter, Carolyn; Kendig, Julie; Strick, Betsy

2014-01-01

CoTA (Collaborations: Teachers and Artists) is a professional development program that empowers teachers to access the arts in everyday instruction to support student achievement. CoTA schools commit to intense, 3-year collaborations for ten weeks each year where teachers learn to capitalize on arts content and strategies to promote knowledge and…

Utah Teacher Evaluation Project: The Park City Career Ladder Design. Final Report: Secretary's Discretionary Program, Planning Grant to Develop Teacher Incentive Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peterson, Ken; And Others

The Park City School District (Utah) career ladder design provides a system in which teachers are positioned and paid according to successful performance and differentiation of responsibilities. It includes an evaluation system to differentiate among teachers. The career ladder design presents a number of innovations; for example, excellent…

Practical Knowledge and Teacher Reflection from a Practice-Based Literacy Teacher Education Program in the First Years: A Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wetzel, Melissa Mosley; Hoffman, James V.; Roach, Audra K.; Russell, Katie

2018-01-01

This longitudinal study explores how one university's practice-based teacher preparation program prepared literacy teachers to develop practical knowledge for teaching and how that knowledge was tested and adapted in the first years of teaching. To understand change, we identified and analyzed points of tension, challenge, or dissonance in the…

Developing an Empirical Account of a Community of Practice: Characterizing the Essential Tensions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barab, Sasha A.; Barnett, Michael; Squire, Kurt

2002-01-01

This article examines the potential of a learning-as-a-part-of-a-community approach, focusing on the participatory process of learning in a community-based, teacher education program; a Community of Teachers (CoT). CoT is a preparation program for preservice teachers working toward secondary teacher certification in which they join an on-going…

An Eclectic Professional Development Proposal for English Language Teachers (Una propuesta ecléctica de formación docente para profesores de inglés)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chaves, Orlando; Guapacha, Maria Eugenia

2016-01-01

This article reports a mixed-method research project aimed at improving the practices of public sector English teachers in Cali (Colombia) through a professional development program. At the diagnostic stage surveys, documentary analysis, and a focus group yielded the teachers' profile and professional needs. The action phase measured the program's…

Connected Classroom: A Program Evaluation of the Professional Development Program of a One-to-One Educational Technology Initiative in South Carolina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grant, Kelly J.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of the first year of a multi-year, district-wide professional development program for teachers that accompanied a one-to-one Apple device rollout for all students. A mixed-method research design was used to perform a logic model of program evaluation. Teacher self-reported proficiency in basic…

Pilot Programs in Agricultural Occupations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Binkley, Harold

The joint supervisory and teacher education staffs developed criteria and surveyed needed agricultural competencies as a basis for course building. Teacher educators developed unit outlines for pilot programs in off-farm agricultural occupations conducted in Lafayette, Shelby County, Daviess County, and Reidland high schools. A quasi-experimental…

Social Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pederson, Clara A., Comp.

The booklet presents 15 articles describing innovative social studies materials and teaching techniques. It was designed to help classroom teachers develop and implement social studies programs at the elementary school level. The materials were developed by teachers in education programs at the University of North Dakota from 1968-77. The first…

Exploring the beliefs and practices of five preservice secondary science teachers from recruitment through induction in a university preparation program: A longitudinal study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fletcher, Steven Samuel

This three-year longitudinal study explores the evolving beliefs and practices of five prospective secondary science teachers in a university preparation program from recruitment through their first year in the classroom. As an interpretive qualitative study, the format for data collection and analysis utilizes a case-study methodology with cross-case analysis. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, collected artifacts, and classroom observations. There are a number of important conclusions from this study. First, the teachers' beliefs about teaching initially shift to a contemporary focus during the program, but ultimately return to a didactic orientation by their first year in the classroom. At the same time, the teachers' beliefs about learning remain consistently more contemporary in nature. Second, the participants believe that they practice teaching science as inquiry at a higher level than are indicated by researcher observations. Third, while participants value advanced content and educational theory coursework, they do not always see the link between these experiences and their development as science teachers. Fourth, the findings from this study reveal that internal and external contextual factors impacted, to varying degrees, the development of the science teachers. The findings from this study contribute to a deeper understanding of the development of science teachers from preservice education to the induction years, which indicates a pattern that is not linear. The findings from this study also reinforce the importance of internal and external contextual factors on the development of science teachers. Ultimately, this study is important to the field of secondary science teacher education as it depicts the complex interactions between the individual, the preparation program, and the school placements that impact the beliefs and practices of preservice and beginning teachers.

A Structured Professional Development Approach to Unit Study: The Experiences of 200 Teachers in a National Teacher Development Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McColskey, Wendy; Parke, Helen; Furtak, Erin; Butler, Susan

This article addresses what was learned through the National Computational Science Leadership Program about involving teachers in planning high quality units of instruction around computational science investigations. Two cohorts of roughly 25 teacher teams nationwide were given opportunities to develop "replacement units." The goal was to support…

Development of a Goal Setting Process and Instrumentation for Teachers and Principals.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minix, Nancy; And Others

A pilot program, the Career Ladder Plan, was developed in Kentucky to evaluate a teacher's performance in terms of professional growth and development and professional leadership/initiative based on that teacher's performance on a setting/goal attainment process. Goals jointly selected by the teacher and his/her principal must contribute to school…

Appropriating and Enacting Literacy Teaching Practices in the Context of the Pathway Project Professional Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chung, Huy Quoc

2015-01-01

Given that teacher professional development is a part of teachers' professional lives and given that billions of dollars have been invested in teacher professional development, this dissertation advocates for research that studies teacher learning and the conditions under which they learn, as an equally important component of studying the impact…

Teacher Research as a Robust and Reflective Path to Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

2010-01-01

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

Moving Past the Politics: How Alternative Certification Can Promote Comprehensive Teacher Development Reforms.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roach, Virginia; Cohen, Benjamin A.

The debate over how to prepare a new generation of teachers has reached a fever pitch in education and policy communities. This policy brief takes the viewpoint that quality alternative certification programs (ACPs) offer ways to develop a broader pool of prospective teachers while helping states address concerns about teacher development,…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alozie, Nonyelum M.

2010-01-01

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

Teacher Evaluation Project. The Beginning Teacher Program, Intellectual Skills Development, Validity Studies of the Evaluation System, Special Instrument Development. Report for 1984-1985.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Florida Coalition for the Development of a Performance Measurement System, Tallahassee.

Reports, summaries, and recommendations are presented on the following research studies: (1) Beginning Teacher Studies; (2) Instructional Skills for Teaching Higher Order Thinking; (3) Development of the Conferential Observation Instrument; (4) Predictive Validity Studies Conducted to Test the Relationship Between Teacher Performance as Measured…

Fostering Leadership Skills in Pre-Service Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xu, Yuejin; Patmor, George

2012-01-01

Teacher leadership is about empowering teachers to take a more active role in school improvement. Current pathways to teacher leadership, namely the Teacher Leader Master (TLM) degree program and teacher-led professional development, mainly target in-service teachers. Less attention has been paid to teacher leadership training in current teacher…

Exploring what contributes to the knowledge development of secondary physics and physical science teachers in a continuous professional development context

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelms, April Wagnon

This dissertation used qualitative methodologies, specifically phenomenological research, to investigate what contributes to the development of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) of physics and physical science teachers who participate in a content-specific continuous professional development program. There were five participants in this study. The researcher conducted participant observations and interviews, rated participants degree of reformed teaching practices using the Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol, surveyed participants' self-efficacy beliefs using the Science Teacher Efficacy Belief Instrument "A," and rated participants'' level of PCK using the PCK Rubrics.. All data were analyzed, and a composite description of what contributes to physics and physical science teachers' PCK development through a continuous professional development program emerged. A theory also emerged from the participants' experiences pertaining to how teachers' assimilate new conditions into their existing teaching schema, how conditions change teachers' perceptions of their practice, and outcomes of teachers' new ideas towards their practice. This study contributed to the literature by suggesting emergent themes and a theory on the development of physics and physical science teachers' PCK. PCK development is theorized to be a spiral process incorporating new conditions into the spiral as teachers employ new science content knowledge and pedagogical practices in their individual classroom contexts.

Using Wiki to Create a Learning Community for Chemistry Teacher Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shwartz, Y.; Katchevitch, D.

2013-01-01

This study focuses on using wikis as a learning environment, as part of a professional development program for chemistry teacher leaders. The study was performed in Israel and involved 20 chemistry teachers. One goal was to investigate how using wiki may promote effective science teacher professional development. Various aspects of the teachers'…

Physical Education Pre-Service Teachers' Understanding, Application, and Development of Critical Thinking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Jiling; McBride, Ron E.; Xiang, Ping; Scarmardo-Rhodes, Melissa

2018-01-01

To better prepare physical education (PE) teachers, this study explored a group of pre-service teachers' understanding, application, and development of critical thinking (CT) in a capstone methods course. Participants were 12 pre-service teachers from a PE teacher education (PETE) program at a large university in the southwestern United States.…

Development of the Teachers Supporting Teachers in Urban Schools Program: What Iterative Research Designs Can Teach Us

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shernoff, Elisa S.; Frazier, Stacy L.; Marinez-Lora, Ane; Atkins, Marc S.; Keel, Joanna

2011-01-01

The "Teachers Supporting Teachers in Urban Schools Project" is a 3-year study funded by the Institute of Education Sciences (Development and Innovation Study) and designed to enhance new teachers' effectiveness around the two strongest empirical predictors of attrition--classroom management and engaging learners--and connectedness to…

Male Teachers of Color Take a Lesson from Each Other

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bristol, Travis J.

2015-01-01

The author tells of the experience of co-founding a group of male teachers of color within the Boston Teacher Residency program. The group's theory of action was that professional development focused on addressing the unique challenges of male teachers of color would help these teachers develop tools and strategies to navigate their school…

The Impact of Teacher Observations with Coordinated Professional Development on Student Performance: A 27-State Program Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaha, Steven H.; Glassett, Kelly F.; Copas, Aimee

2015-01-01

The impact of teacher observations in alignment with professional development (PD) on teacher efficacy was quantified for 292 schools in 110 districts within 27 U.S. States. Teacher observations conducted by school leaders or designated internal coaches were coordinated with PD offerings aligned with intended teacher improvements. The PD involved…

Focus on Identity Development: A Proposal for Addressing English Teacher Attrition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hochstetler, Sarah

2011-01-01

Placing teacher identity work (e.g. thinking critically about what it means to be a teacher) late in the curriculum of education programs could contribute to the high attrition rate of secondary English teachers. This article argues for more attention to teacher identity development early in candidate coursework to better prepare them for the…

Identity Development of Preservice Elementary Teachers of Mathematics from Teacher Education Program to Student Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kang, Hyun Jung

2012-01-01

Drawing on Lave and Wenger (1991) this study explores how preservice elementary teachers develop themselves as teachers of mathematics, in particular, from the time of their teacher education courses to their field experiences. This study also researches the critical experiences that contributed to the construction of their identities and their…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hezel Associates (NJ1), 2007

2007-01-01

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

Developing Expert Interdisciplinary Thinkers: Online Resources for Preparing Pre-service Teachers to Teach the NGSS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kent, M.; Egger, A. E.; Bruckner, M. Z.; Manduca, C. A.

2014-12-01

Over 100,000 students obtain a bachelor's degree in education every year; these students most commonly encounter the geosciences through a general education course, and it may be the only geoscience course they ever take. However, the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) contain much more Earth science content than previous standards. In addition, the NGSS emphasize the use of science and engineering practices in the K-12 classroom. Future teachers need to experience learning science as a scientist, through a hands-on, activity-based learning process, in order to give them the skills they need to teach science that same way in the future. In order to be successful at teaching the NGSS, both current and future teachers will need more than a single course in geoscience or science methods. As a result, there is now a key opportunity for geoscience programs to play a vital role in strengthening teacher preparation programs, both through introductory courses and beyond. To help programs and individual faculty take advantage of this opportunity, we have developed a set of web-based resources, informed by participants in the InTeGrate program as well as by faculty in exemplary teacher preparation programs. The pages address the program-level task of creating engaging and effective courses for teacher preparation programs, with the goal of introducing education majors to the active pedagogies and geoscience methods they will later use in their own classrooms. A collection of exemplary Teacher Preparation programs is also included. Additional pages provide information on what it means to be an "expert thinker" in the geosciences and how individual faculty and teachers can explicitly teach these valuable skills that are reflected in the science and engineering practices of the NGSS. Learn more on the InTeGrate web site about preparing future teachers: serc.carleton.edu/integrate/programs/teacher_prep.htmland training expert thinkers: serc.carleton.edu/integrate/teaching_materials/expert_thinkers.html

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blythe, Jessica Marie

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

The Impact of AP® Achievement Institute I on Students' AP Performance. Research Report No. 2012-7

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bausmith, Jennifer Merriman; Laitusis, Vytas

2012-01-01

The AP Achievement Institute I (APAI I) is a four-day professional development program offered to teachers and administrators by EXCELerator™, a district reform program operated by the College Board. The APAI I program is designed to help teachers develop effective AP instructional strategies for a diverse student body and to help district,…

Evaluating the Impact of the "Teaching as a Chemistry Laboratory Graduate Teaching Assistant" Program on Cognitive and Psychomotor Verbal Interactions in the Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flaherty, A.; O'Dwyer, A.; Mannix-McNamara, P.; Leahy, J. J.

2017-01-01

Designing and evaluating teacher development programs for graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) who teach in the laboratory is a prominent feature of chemistry education research. However, few studies have investigated the impact of a GTA teacher development program on the verbal interactions between participating GTAs and students in the…

Goals, Data Use, and Instruction: The Effect of a Teacher Professional Development Program on Reading Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Kuijk, Mechteld F.; Deunk, Marjolein I.; Bosker, Roel J.; Ritzema, Evelien S.

2016-01-01

In this paper, we investigated whether student reading comprehension could be improved with help of a teacher Professional Development (PD) program targeting goals, data use, and instruction. The effect of this PD program on 2nd- and 3rd-grade student achievement was examined using a pretest-posttest control group design. Applying propensity score…

Digital Badges for Teacher Mastery: An Exploratory Study of a Competency-Based Professional Development Badge System. CCT Reports

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diamond, James; Gonzalez, Pilar Carmina

2014-01-01

This study contributes knowledge about how a digital badge system integrated into an online, subject-matter-specific, and competency-based professional development (PD) program affected teachers' experiences with and perceptions of the program activities. The report presents findings from a one-year exploratory study of an online PD program, and…

Increasing Academic Rigor through Comprehensive, Ongoing Professional Development in Rural Special Education: A Description of the SPLASH Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Courtade, Ginevra R.; Shipman, Stacy D.; Williams, Rachel

2017-01-01

SPLASH is a 3-year professional development program designed to work with classroom teachers of students with moderate and severe disabilities. The program targets new teachers and employs methods aimed at supporting rural classrooms. The training content focuses on evidence-based practices in English language arts, mathematics, and science, as…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Su-ching; Wu, Ming-sui

2016-01-01

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

Development of a Program to Enhance Curriculum and Learning Management Competency of Private Primary School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Panichpongsapak, Ratthasart; Tesaputa, Kowat; Sri-ampai, Anan

2016-01-01

The aims of this research were: (1) to study the factors and indicators to enhance curriculum and learning management competency of private primary school teachers; (2) to study current situations and desirable situations and techniques; (3) to develop a program; and (4) to study the effects of a program. The study comprised 4 phases: Phase…

Research Experiences for Teachers: The Impacts on Their Students and the Economy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dubner, J.

2006-12-01

In contrast to most other professions, schools require no real apprenticeship training of science teachers. Imagine the evolution of the career of a modern scientist who was required to undertake an independent research position immediately on completion of his/her Ph.D. Or imagine the quality of United States medical care if physicians began practicing medicine and surgery immediately upon graduation from medical school. This is the situation for teachers. Overall, only 38% of United States teachers have had any on-the-job training in their first teaching position, and in some cases this consisted of a few meetings over the course of a year between the beginning teacher and the assigned mentor or master teacher. Research shows that teacher expertise is one of the most important factors in raising student achievement. A review of 60 studies found that investing in support for teacher expertise was the most cost-effective way to increase student achievement. Seeking ways to address these matters, scientists and educators throughout the United States developed a variety of intensive professional development programs for science teachers. Data derived from Columbia University's Summer Research Program for Science Teachers will be presented showing strong evidence that Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) are one of the most effective forms of professional development yet identified for secondary school science teachers. The economic benefits to city, state and federal government of teacher participation in an RET are very large, both in absolute terms and in comparison to program costs.

Mathematics Professional Development: Critical Features for Developing Leadership Skills and Building Teachers' Capacity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koellner, Karen; Jacobs, Jennifer; Borko, Hilda

2011-01-01

This article focuses on three features of professional development (PD) programs that play an important role in developing leadership skills and building teachers' capacity: (1) fostering a professional learning community, (2) developing teachers' mathematical knowledge for teaching, and (3) adapting PD to support local needs and interests. We…

Beginning Blueprint: Electronic Exhibits for a Teacher Education Accreditation Council Academic Audit

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koonce, Glenn L.; Hoskins, Joan J.; Goldman, Katie D.

2012-01-01

This study illustrates the development, usability, and advantages of an electronic exhibit for the TEAC (Teacher Education Accreditation Council) academic audit from the perspective of program education faculty. The examination of the successful utilization of electronic exhibits for teacher licensure and educational leadership program IBs…

Lessons Learned from the Implementation of Electronic Portfolios at Three Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilhelm, Lance; Puckett, Kathleen; Beisser, Sally; Wishart, William; Merideth, Eunice; Sivakumaran, Thilla

2006-01-01

Portfolios are used in teacher education programs to provide evidence of pre-service teachers' professional growth and development. As programs are better able to integrate technology into the teacher preparation curriculum, many educational institutions are implementing electronic versions of portfolios (e-portfolios) on a widespread basis. Uses…

Fostering Technology-Rich Service-Learning Experiences between School Librarians and Teacher Education Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shepherd, Craig E.; Dousay, Tonia; Kvenild, Cassandra; Meredith, Tamara

2015-01-01

School libraries are untapped resources for fieldwork by preservice teachers. Many school librarians have expertise in pedagogy and standards-based curriculum development, both for information literacy and for technology integration. By forging partnerships with teacher-preparation programs, school librarians can provide fieldwork sites rich in…

Implementation of Instructional Innovations in K-8 Science Classes: Perspectives of Inservice Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dass, Pradeep Maxwell

2001-01-01

Introduces the Iowa Chautauqua Program (ICP) which was disseminated through the U.S. Department of Education as an exemplary model of professional development for inservice teachers. Results reveal intricate relationships between classroom implementation by teachers and program implementation by the school district. (Contains 24 references.)…

A Whole Language Flight Plan: An Interview with Three Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffith, Priscilla L.; Klesius, Janell

1990-01-01

Provides suggestions to teachers planning to implement a whole language program, based on interviews with three whole language teachers. Focuses on support for the whole language program; decisions about curriculum and evaluation; development of vocabulary and comprehension; strengths and weaknesses of the whole language approach; and preparation…

Encouraging Family Involvement through Culturally Relevant Pedagogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodman, Kela; Hooks, Laura

2016-01-01

The purpose of this article is to describe one teacher education program's experience using an integrated approach to provide preservice teachers with both knowledge of and experience with diverse cultures. Included are three important components within this program that strive to assist preservice teachers as they develop an understanding of…

Structure of Primary Mathematics Teacher Education Programs in Spain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cañadas, María C.; Gómez, Pedro; Rico, Luis

2013-01-01

Spain was 1 of the 17 countries that participated in the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement's Teacher Education and Development Study in Mathematics (TEDS-M 2008). In this paper, we explore and describe the structure of Spanish primary mathematics teacher education programs. We analyzed the documents collected…

Shaping instructional communication competence of preservice teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tandyonomanu, D.; Mutiah; Setianingrum, V. M.

2018-01-01

This study aims to understand the process of shaping communication competence. Participants were pre-service teachers in the primary school education teacher who conducted teaching program internship program. Observations and interviews found that culture, experience, and education were the components that developed the communication competence within the instructional context. The former two components dominantly shape communication instructional competencies, whereas the latter contributes insignificantly. Education emphasizes on teacher’s pedagogy and professional competences. In the future, educational institutions for pre-service teachers could use this research results to Determine the process of developing communication competence.

Preparing Teachers to Use GIS: The Impact of a Hybrid Professional Development Program on Teachers' Use of GIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, Steven; Haviland, Don; Moore, William; Tran, Michael

2016-12-01

This article reports the findings of a 3-year study of a hybrid professional development program designed to prepare science and mathematics teachers to implement GIS in their classrooms. The study was conducted as part of the CoastLines Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers project funded by the National Science Foundation. Three cohorts of teachers participated in the program, with each participant receiving 40 h of synchronous online instruction and 80 h of in-person instruction and support over an 8-month period. Data from surveys of participants both before and after the program were analyzed using correlation, ordinary least squares, and ordered logit regression analyses. The analyses revealed increases in the self-reported frequency of GIS use and enhanced feelings of preparation, competence, community, and comfort with respect to using GIS for instruction. A composite index of all impact variables was positively influenced as well. The statistical analyses found a strong relationship between self-reported feelings of preparation and use of GIS. Some support was found for the idea that feelings of competence, community, and comfort were related to the teachers' sense of preparation. The findings suggest that a robust hybrid model of teacher professional development can prepare teachers to use GIS in their classrooms. More research is needed to understand how hybrid models influence the sociopsychological and other dimensions that support teachers' feelings of preparation to implement GIS.

Sneaking out of the Big House? Perceptions of African American Mentees in a Graduate-Level Teacher Education Program on a White Campus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

View, Jenice L.; Frederick, Rona

2011-01-01

This article highlights the voices of in-service African American teachers who are matriculating in a graduate program by exploring their perceptions of mentorship. The authors explore the dual-identity and instructional challenges of these teachers of color in a predominately "White" professional development program that seeks to mentor students…

Providing Feedback, Orientation and Opportunities for Reflection as Key Elements for Successful Mentoring Programs: Reviewing a Program for Future Business Education Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riebenbauer, Elisabeth; Dreisiebner, Gernot; Stock, Michaela

2017-01-01

The introduction to teaching is critical for novice teachers. Near the end of their master's program, students of Business Education and Development in Austria spend one semester at an assigned school. They are introduced to teaching, while being assisted by peer students, mentoring teachers, and a companion course. Mentors receive special…

Increasing Rural Special Education Teacher Candidates' Ability to Implement Evidence-Based Practices: A Program Description of the Boise State University TATERS Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Evelyn S.

2015-01-01

The Technology Accentuated Teacher Education for Rural Specialists (TATERS) program aimed to: (a) prepare highly qualified special education teachers across a state comprised of more than 70% rural districts, (b) develop a system of support through a mentor network and institutions of higher education collaboration to address the needs of teacher…

A Quantitative Study of the Reading First Initiative Teacher Training Program in Reducing Student Referrals for Special Education Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maestas, Gary E.

2010-01-01

The problem investigated in this research study relates to the referral rate for special education evaluations between students of teachers who were exposed to the professional development and resources associated with the federally funded Reading First program and students of teachers who were not exposed to the program. The purpose of this study…

An Instrument Development Study for Determining Prospective Science Teachers' Science-Specific Epistemological Beliefs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koksal, Mustafa Serdar; Ertekin, Pelin

2016-01-01

The study is focusing on development of an instrument to determine science-specific epistemological beliefs of prospective science teachers. The study involved 364 (male = 82, female = 282) prospective science teachers enrolled in a science teacher education program. The confirmatory factor analysis, reliability analysis and correlation analysis…

Preservice Teachers' Conceptions of Effective and Ineffective Teaching Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sandholtz, Judith Haymore

2011-01-01

Given the focus on developing highly-qualified teachers to improve education, teacher education programs face increasing responsibility to prepare new teachers who can effectively enhance learning in all students. Standards and assessment criteria developed by national organizations in the United States address the qualifications of beginning as…

Developing Preschool Teachers' Knowledge of Students' Number Conceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsamir, Pessia; Tirosh, Dina; Levenson, Esther; Tabach, Michal; Barkai, Ruthi

2014-01-01

This article describes a study that investigates preschool teachers' knowledge of their young students' number conceptions and the teachers' related self-efficacy beliefs. It also presents and illustrates elements of a professional development program designed explicitly to promote this knowledge among preschool teachers. Results…

Enterprise & Innovation. Teacher Resource Manual. Interim.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alberta Dept. of Education, Edmonton. Curriculum Branch.

This teacher resource manual is a support document developed to assist teachers responsible for Enterprise and Innovation courses; it is intended to be used in conjunction with the corresponding program of studies in the curriculum for Alberta, Canada. The manual has been developed to assist classroom teachers by providing the following: (1)…

Case-Based Long-Term Professional Development of Science Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dori, Yehudit J.; Herscovitz, Orit

2005-01-01

Reform efforts are often unsuccessful because they failed to understand that teachers play a key role in making educational reforms successful. This paper describes a long-term teacher professional development (PD) program aimed at educating and training teachers to teach interdisciplinary topics using case-based method in science. The research…

The Impact of a Teacher Professional Development Program on Student Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powers, Kristin; Shin, Seon-Hi; Hagans, Kristi S.; Cordova, Monica

2015-01-01

Student engagement is associated with many positive outcomes, including academic achievement, school persistence, and social-emotional well-being. The present study examined whether the Freedom Writers Institute, a professional development program designed to improve teachers' skills in creating personalized learning environments, can increase…

The Impact of a Professional Development Program on Teachers' Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching, Instruction, and Student Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacob, Robin; Hill, Heather; Corey, Doug

2017-01-01

In this paper, we describe findings from a three-year evaluation of a well-developed mathematics professional development program that is commercially available on a wide scale. The professional development is designed to improve teachers' mathematical knowledge for teaching and to enable them to elicit more student thinking and reasoning during…

Teacher Research Programs: An Effective Form of Professional Development to Increase Student Achievement and Benefit the Economy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dubner, J.

2008-12-01

U.S. high school students perform markedly less well in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) than students in other economically advanced countries. This low level of STEM performance endangers our democracy and economy. The President's Council of Advisors in Science and Technology's 2004 report attributed the shortfall of students attracted to the sciences is a result of the dearth of teachers sufficiently conversant with science and scientists to enable them to communicate to their students the excitement of scientific exploration and discovery, and the opportunities science provides for highly rewarding and remunerative careers. Nonetheless, the United States has made little progress in correcting these deficiencies. Studies have shown that high-quality teaching matters more to student achievement than anything else schools do. This belief is buttressed by evidence from Columbia University's Summer Research Program for Science Teachers (SRP) that highly motivated, in-service science teachers require professional development to enable them and their students to perform up to their potential. Columbia's Summer Research Program is based on the premise that to teach science effectively requires experience in using the tools of contemporary science to answer unsolved questions. From its inception, SRP's goal has been to enhance interest and improve performance in science of students. It seeks to achieve this goal by increasing the professional competence of teachers. The reports of Elmore, Sanders and Rivers, and our own studies, show that professional development is a "key lever for improving student outcomes." While most middle and high school science teachers have taken college science courses that include cookbook laboratory exercises, the vast majority of them have never attempted to answer an unsolved question. Just as student learning depends on the expertise of teachers, the expertise of teachers depends on the quality of their professional development. Columbia University's teacher research program is a very effective form of professional development for pre- college science teachers and has a direct correlation to increased student motivation and achievement in science. The Program is premised on the beliefs that hands-on experience in the practice of science improves the quality and authenticity of science teaching, and that improved science teaching is correlated with increased student interest and achievement in science. The author will present the methodology of the program's evaluation citing statistically significant findings. The author will also show the economic benefits of teacher participation in a well-designed research program.

Inspiring Students to be Scientists: Oceanographic Research Journeys of a Middle School Teacher

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paulishak, E.

2006-12-01

I will present my research and educational experiences with two professional development programs in which I practiced scientific research. Real world applications of scientific principles cause science to be less abstract and allow the students to be involved in genuine science in the field. Students view teachers differently as a teacher brings her/his experience and enthusiasm for learning into the classroom environment. Furthermore, by developing activities around those experiences, the teacher may permit the students to have some direct involvement with scientific research. One of the common goals of these programs is for teachers to understand the research process and the science involved with it. My goal is to remain a teacher and use these valuable experiences to inspire my students. My job, after completing the research experience and doing investigations in the field, becomes one of "translator" taking the content and process knowledge and making it understandable and authentic for the advancement of my students. It also becomes one of "mentor" when helping to develop the skills of new teachers. Both of my experiences included seagoing expeditions. The REVEL program was my first experience in the summer of 2000. It gave me an immense opportunity to become part of a research team studying the underwater volcanic environment of the Juan de Fuca Ridge in the Northeast Pacific Ocean. With the ARMADA project (2006), I learned about SONAR as we traveled via NOAA ship along the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. Using examples from both of these highly valuable programs, I will be presenting my ideas about how to prepare teachers for their research experience, how to make the transition from research experience to practical classroom application, and how these experiences play a role in retaining the best science teachers and developing new science teachers for the future. Research programs such as these, furnish me with an added sense of confidence as I facilitate student learning. Both programs also enhance my credibility in the eyes of my students who ask: "Are you a scientist, too?"

EFFECTS OF A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM ON BEHAVIORAL ENGAGEMENT OF STUDENTS IN MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL

PubMed Central

GREGORY, ANNE; ALLEN, JOSEPH P.; MIKAMI, AMORI Y.; HAFEN, CHRISTOPHER A.; PIANTA, ROBERT C.

2017-01-01

Student behavioral engagement is a key condition supporting academic achievement, yet student disengagement in middle and high schools is all too common. The current study used a randomized controlled design to test the efficacy of the My Teaching Partner-Secondary program to increase behavioral engagement. The program offers teachers personalized coaching and systematic feedback on teachers’ interactions with students, based on systematic observation of videorecordings of teacher-student interactions in the classroom. The study found that intervention teachers had significantly higher increases, albeit to a modest degree, in student behavioral engagement in their classrooms after 1 year of involvement with the program compared to the teachers in the control group (explaining 4% of variance). In exploratory analyses, two dimensions of teachers’ interactions with students—their focus on analysis and problem solving during instruction and their use of diverse instructional learning formats—acted as mediators of increased student engagement. The findings offer implications for new directions in teacher professional development and for understanding the classroom as a setting for adolescent development. PMID:28232767

Teacher Research Experience Programs = Increase in Student Achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dubner, J.

2010-12-01

Columbia University's Summer Research Program for Science Teachers (SRP), founded in 1990, is one of the largest, best known university-based professional development programs for science teachers in the U.S. The program’s basic premise is simple: teachers cannot effectively teach science if they have not experienced it firsthand. For eight weeks in each of two consecutive summers, teachers participate as a member of a research team, led by a member of Columbia University’s research faculty. In addition to the laboratory experience, all teachers meet as a group one day each week during the summer for a series of pedagogical activities. A unique quality of the Summer Research Program is its focus on objective assessment of its impact on attitudes and instructional practices of participating teachers, on the performance of these teachers in their mentors’ laboratories, and most importantly, on the impact of their participation in the program on student interest and performance in science. SRP uses pass rate on the New York State Regents standardized science examinations as an objective measure of student achievement. SRP's data is the first scientific evidence of a connection between a research experience for teachers program and gains in student achievement. As a result of the research, findings were published in Science Magazine. The author will present an overview of Columbia's teacher research program and the results of the published program evaluation.

Enhancing science teaching in an elementary school: A case study of a school-initiated Teacher Professional Development Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brooks, Clare M.

1998-12-01

This naturalistic case study documents a year long Teacher Professional Development Program (TPDP) initiated by an elementary school staff in British Columbia. The TPDP was designed to enable the teachers to meet their objective of making science instruction more frequent, more active, and more student-centered in all classrooms in the school. This case study addresses two research questions: (1) What attributes of the Teacher Professional Development Program supported the school's "objective" for improved science instruction? (2) How did the outcomes of the Teacher Professional Development Program relate to the achievement of the school's educational objective? The site for the research was a kindergarten--Grade 7 school. A university professor and the researcher were invited to visit the school on a bi-weekly basis during one school year (1993--94) to facilitate a series of science workshops involving the entire teaching staff and to provide classroom support to teachers. Teachers were offered university course credit for their participation. This case study draws on qualitative data including: audio recordings of planning/debriefing sessions, workshop discussions, and interviews with participants; field notes and written observations; a survey of teachers' opinions about the TPDP; and documents relating to the school accreditation process in 1994--95. The results of the study show that teachers, administrators, and parents were satisfied that the school's objective for science instruction was met, and that the TPDP contributed significantly to this outcome. The study identifies TPDP attributes which supported the school's objective with reference to the teachers and their context, the planning process, and the organizational context, that is, the school. This study contributes to our understanding of teacher professional development by examining an alternative to more common approaches to elementary teacher science inservice in British Columbia, which are typically short-term, designed by inservice providers with little input from participants, and removed physically and conceptually from the classroom. Such inservice experiences often lack administrative and collegial support for the teacher who attempts classroom implementation. While this study relates to science; the discussion is relevant to other curriculum areas such as fine arts or physical education.

The development and refinement of models of less established and more established high school environmental service-learning programs in Florida

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malikova, Yuliya

2005-07-01

Environmental Service-Learning (Env. S-L) appears to show great promise and practitioners tout its benefits, although there have been fewer than ten studies in this emerging area of environmental education. The overall study purpose was to describe the nature, status, and effects of Grade 9--16 Env. S-L programs in Florida, and develop descriptive models of those programs. The purpose of Phase I was to describe these programs and associated partnerships. Based on Phase I results, the purpose of Phase II was to develop, compare, and refine models for less and more established high school programs. This study involved: (1) defining the population of Florida 9--16 Env. S-L programs (Phase I); (2) developing and administering program surveys (Phase I, quantitative); (3) analyzing Phase I survey data and identifications of options for Phase II (Intermediate stage); (4) designing and implementing methodology for further data collection (Phase II, qualitative); (5) refining and finalizing program models (Phase II, descriptive); and (6) summarizing program data, changes, and comparisons. This study revealed that Env. S-L has been practiced in a variety of ways at the high school and college levels in Florida. There, the number of high school programs, and participating teachers and students has been growing. Among others, major program features include block scheduling, indirect S-L activities, external funding sources, and formal and ongoing community partnerships. Findings based on self-reported program assessment results indicate that S-L has had positive effects on students across Furco's S-L outcome domains (i.e., academic achievement/success, school participation/behavior, carrier development, personal development, interpersonal development, ethical/moral development, and development of civic responsibility). Differences existed between less established and more established Env. S-L programs. Less established programs had relatively few participating teachers, courses, projects, community partners, and service sites. Most S-L activities were offered as electives. Lead teachers used reflection to integrate academic learning with service experience to a moderate extent. More established programs had a larger number of participating teachers, courses, projects, community partners, partner representatives, and service sites. Students were consistently engaged in multiple forms of reflection. These teachers also practiced S-L before their exposure to the wider field of S-L.

An Interdisciplinary Teacher Education Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

And Others; Little, Robert M.

1980-01-01

The University of Washington School of Dentistry developed a 36-month formal teacher education program in combination with joint specialty training in pedodontics and orthodontics. The rationale and structure of the original program is outlined and the reasons for its termination are discussed. (Author/MLW)

"Regressed Experts" as a New State in Teachers' Professional Development: Lessons from Computer Science Teachers' Adjustments to Substantial Changes in the Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liberman, Neomi; Kolikant, Yifat Ben-David; Beeri, Catriel

2012-01-01

Due to a program reform in Israel, experienced CS high-school teachers faced the need to master and teach a new programming paradigm. This situation served as an opportunity to explore the relationship between teachers' content knowledge (CK) and their pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). This article focuses on three case studies, with emphasis…

The Effects of a Professional Development Program on English as a Foreign Language Teachers' Efficacy and Classroom Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ortaçtepe, DenIz; Akyel, Ayse S.

2015-01-01

The purpose of the present study is twofold: (1) to investigate the relationship between the efficacy of teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) and their self-reported practice of communicative language teaching (CLT) and (2) to examine the impact of an in-service teacher education program on teachers' efficacy and self-reported and…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

2009-01-01

Our paper presents an in-service primary school teachers' training program which is based on the idea that the history of science can play a vital role in promoting the learning of physics. This training program has been developed in the context of Comenius 2.1 which is a European Union program. This program that we have developed in the…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Yang

2017-01-01

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

Instructional Staff Development. Component 5: Pupil Centered Inquiry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lux, John E.; Wright, Delivee L.

This trainer's manual for the fifth of six components of the Instructional Staff Development (ISD) program is designed to prepare teachers to develop a model for use in Pupil Centered Inquiry teaching (PCI). This component is said to build on the teacher's knowledge, skills, and attitudes gained in the first four components; the entire program is…

Professional Development to Support TPACK Technology Integration: The Initial Learning Trajectories of Thirteen Fifth- and Sixth-Grade Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morsink, Paul M.; Hagerman, Michelle Schira; Heintz, Anne; Boyer, D. Matthew; Harris, Robin; Kereluik, Kristen; Hartman, Douglas K.; Wood, Anne; White, Amber; Woodruff, Carmen; Anderson, Tracey; Goldstein, Shelly; Hamm, Beth; Lewis, Cindy; Lewis, Paul; Mitchell, Cindy; Murphy, Jill; Rogers, Lyn; Sherrieb, Anne; Siegler, Tammy; Withey, Kevin

2011-01-01

This study examined the initial learning trajectories of 13 upper elementary teachers as they developed technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge during a 7-month professional development program to integrate technology into classroom practice. The program was collaborative and non-prescriptive; teachers worked on self-chosen summer…

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),…

Design and Delivery of Professional Development Through Partnerships: Long-Term, Short-Term, and Everything In-Between

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urquhart, M. L.; Curry, B.; Hairston, M. R.

2009-12-01

Professional development for teachers can take a variety of forms, each with unique challenges and needs. At the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD), we have leveraged partnerships between multiple groups including the Masters of Arts in Teaching program in Science Education, the joint US Air Force/NASA CINDI mission, an ionospheric explorer built at UTD, and the UTD Regional Collaborative for Excellence in Science Teaching. Each effort models, and in the case of the later two has created, inquiry-based lessons around Earth-systems science. A space science mission, currently in low Earth orbit aboard the Air Force satellite C/NOFS, provides real world connections to classroom science, scientific data and visualizations, and funding to support delivery of professional development in short courses and workshops at teacher conferences. Workshops and short course in turn often serve to recruit teachers into our longer-term programs. Long-term professional development programs such as the Collaborative provide opportunities to test curriculum and teacher learning, an interface to high-quality sustained efforts within talented communities of teachers, and much more. From the birth of our CINDI Educational Outreach program to the Collaborative project that produced geoscience kit-based modules and associated professional development adopted throughout the state of Texas, we will share highlights of our major professional development initiatives and how our partnerships have enabled us to better serve the needs of K-12 teachers expected to deliver geoscience and space science content in their classrooms.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2011-12-01

Trilling and Fadel's "21st Century Learning Skills" defines a vision of how to infuse an expanded set of skills, competencies and flexibilities into the classroom. Among these skills are global awareness, health and environmental literacy. The authors contend that in order for our students to compete, they will need critical thinking and problem solving skills, communication and collaboration, and creativity and innovation. Students will also need to be digital savvy. This poster outlines a program of preparing teachers to implement inquiry-based modules that allow students to exercise hypothetical deductive reasoning to address climate literacy issues such as: the Dust Bowl, thermohaline circulation, droughts, the North Atlantic Oscillation, climate variability and energy challenges. This program is implemented through the Earth System Science Education Alliance. ESSEA supports the educational goal of "attracting and retaining students in science careers" and the associated goal of "attracting and retaining students in science through a progression of educational opportunities for students, teachers and faculty." ESSEA provides long-duration educator professional development that results in deeper content understanding and confidence in teaching global climate change and science disciplines. The target audience for this effort is pre-service and in-service K-12 teachers. The ESSEA program develops shared educational resources - including modules and courses - that are based on NASA and NOAA climate science and data. The program is disseminated through the ESSEA Web site: http://essea.courses.strategies.org. ESSEA increases teachers' access to high-quality materials, standards-based instructional methods and content knowledge. Started in 2000 and based on online courses for K-12 teachers, ESSEA includes the participation of faculty at 45 universities and science centers. Over 3,500 pre- and in-service K-12 teachers have completed ESSEA courses. In addition to 21st Century learning skills, the ESSEA program is based on the urgent need for professional development for pre- and in-service teachers of Earth science. The Revolution in Earth and Space Science Education (2001) cites the Glenn Report saying "...the way to interest children in mathematics and science is through teachers who are not only enthusiastic about their subjects, but who are also steeped in their disciplines and who have the professional training - as teachers - to teach those subjects well. Nor is this teacher training simply a matter of preparation; it depends just as much - or even more - on sustained, high-quality professional development" (p. 1). This treatise states that Earth and space sciences are in the greatest need for professional development. Teachers find themselves inadequately qualified to teach science and find that professional development is not available or lacking in quality. The ESSEA program addresses its educational priorities through enriching pre- and in-service Earth science teachers' backgrounds in Earth system science, specifically in the area of global climate change, and through developing educational materials in support of science education.

A Qualitative Exploration of Implementation Factors in a School-Based Mindfulness and Yoga Program: Lessons Learned from Students and Teachers

PubMed Central

Dariotis, Jacinda K.; Mirabal-Beltran, Roxanne; Cluxton-Keller, Fallon; Gould, Laura Feagans; Greenberg, Mark T.; Mendelson, Tamar

2016-01-01

Identifying factors relevant for successful implementation of school-based interventions is essential to ensure that programs are provided in an effective and engaging manner. The perspectives of two key stakeholders critical for identifying implementation barriers and facilitators – students and their classroom teachers – merit attention in this context and have rarely been explored using qualitative methods. This study reports qualitative perspectives of fifth and sixth grade participants and their teachers of a 16-week school-based mindfulness and yoga program in three public schools serving low-income urban communities. Four themes related to program implementation barriers and facilitators emerged: program delivery factors, program buy-in, implementer communication with teachers, and instructor qualities. Feedback from students and teachers is discussed in the context of informing implementation, adaptation, and future development of school-based mindfulness and yoga programming in urban settings. PMID:28670007

A Qualitative Exploration of Implementation Factors in a School-Based Mindfulness and Yoga Program: Lessons Learned from Students and Teachers.

PubMed

Dariotis, Jacinda K; Mirabal-Beltran, Roxanne; Cluxton-Keller, Fallon; Gould, Laura Feagans; Greenberg, Mark T; Mendelson, Tamar

2017-01-01

Identifying factors relevant for successful implementation of school-based interventions is essential to ensure that programs are provided in an effective and engaging manner. The perspectives of two key stakeholders critical for identifying implementation barriers and facilitators - students and their classroom teachers - merit attention in this context and have rarely been explored using qualitative methods. This study reports qualitative perspectives of fifth and sixth grade participants and their teachers of a 16-week school-based mindfulness and yoga program in three public schools serving low-income urban communities. Four themes related to program implementation barriers and facilitators emerged: program delivery factors, program buy-in, implementer communication with teachers, and instructor qualities. Feedback from students and teachers is discussed in the context of informing implementation, adaptation, and future development of school-based mindfulness and yoga programming in urban settings.

Creating and Implementing Professional Development with Self-Selected Literacy Content for Teachers in a Developing Country

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Regan, Tiffany Arnett

2017-01-01

The purpose of this descriptive case study was to identify teacher strengths and needs to create a site-specific professional development program for literacy. I was interested in studying how to identify teacher needs and strengths and explore the compatibility between teacher beliefs, current practice, and best practices in literacy. This study…

The Impact of Teacher Quality Grants on Long-Term Professional Development of Physical Science Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urquhart, Mary L.; Bober, Kendra M.

2006-02-01

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Teacher Quality Grants, supported through No Child Left Behind, are intended to ensure that secondary teachers of specific subjects are "highly qualified". Now in their third year, these grants have done much to shape long-term professional development for teachers in the physical sciences at the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD). The grants have also created a suite of challenges and benefits for the UTD Science Education M.A.T. program. Teacher Quality Grants are based on the No Child Left Behind framework that requires teachers to be "highly qualified" as defined by the state. Recruitment is required to be targeted at teachers who are uncertified or teach one or more classes out of their content area and who work in high needs local school districts. Many of the students brought into our program through these grants have incoming content knowledge in physics similar to that typical of undergraduate non-majors, and a large percentage are uncomfortable with basic mathematics as well. How and what we teach has been dramatically impacted by the Teacher Quality Grants, as have our assessments and evaluations. An ongoing challenge has been to implement a Physics Education Research (PER)-based course design while meeting the specific requirements of the Teacher Quality Grant program. The Teacher Quality Grants have also provided a great deal of opportunity to new and existing teachers in our program. A barrier to our teachers, rising tuition costs, has been removed and as a result a mandate has become a doorway of opportunity for physical science teachers.

OEI, GTTP and Adventurers of the Universe: training teachers and disseminating science in the South of Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pavani, D. B.; Saraiva, M. F. O.; Dottori, H.

2014-10-01

Itinerant Educative Observatory (OEI) is a permanent program of our Department of Astronomy since 1999. It aims to lecture Astronomy to teachers of fundamental and middle levels, using attractive resources such as telescopic observations, audiovisuals, and multimedia. The training courses are requested by different cities of Rio Grande do Sul and nearby states and are organized by a local committee of the requesting city. In 2014, with federal funds, we are uniting efforts with other extension project: the Galileo Teacher Training Program (GTTP). This is an international program developed to train teachers in the effective use of astronomy education tools and resources in their science classes. The program, that is a legacy of IYA2009, aims to create a worldwide network of Galileo Ambassadors the promoters of the training workshops and Galileo Teachers the teachers who bring the learned methodologies into classroom. To supplement these activities, we initiated a new program in 2012 called Adventurers of the Universe. University professors, undergraduates students and teachers of high-school and elementary school of social vulnerable communities develop transdiciplinary didactic sequences where Astronomy is the central focus to motivate different processes of teaching and learning, considering different learning levels, designed for direct use in the classroom. The objective of the program is to contribute to the didactic transposition through the discussion about how to relate astronomy with other science and non-science disciplines. In 2012 we collaborated with 20 teachers of one school, and 900 students. In 2013, the collaborations were expanded to include teachers and students of 3 other schools.

Collaboration between Mathematics Facilitators and Preschool Teachers Using the Innovative "Senso-Math" Preschool Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hassidov, Dina; Ilany, Bat-Sheva

2018-01-01

This article presents a mixed-method study of the innovative "Senso-Math" preschool program and the reactions of both the facilitators, who underwent a special training program, and the preschool teachers in whose classes the program was implemented. The goal of the program is to enhance mathematical development in preschool children…

Interdisciplinary Studies Program. Teacher's Guide: Part IV.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valencia Community Coll., Orlando, FL.

This teacher's guide was developed for the last of four courses in Valencia Community College's Interdisciplinary Studies program, a 2-year core general education curriculum which chronologically examines the major developments in the evolution of human knowledge. The guide provides an introductory overview of the semester's content (i.e., the…

Curriculum and Practice of an Innovative Teacher Professional Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horton, Akesha; Shack, Kyle; Mehta, Rohit

2017-01-01

The MSUrbanSTEM fellowship program provides exemplary urban STEM teachers the opportunity to engage in transformative instructional and leadership experiences that support the advancement of their teaching practice. In this chapter, we provide a foundational examination of the development and implementation of a curriculum for this innovative…

Factors Affecting Teachers' Continuation of Technology Use in Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kafyulilo, Ayoub; Fisser, Petra; Voogt, Joke

2016-01-01

This study was conducted to investigate the continuation of technology use in science and mathematics teaching of the teachers who attended a professional development program between 2010 and 2012. Continuation of technology use was hypothesized to be affected by the professional development program and by personal, institutional, and…

Interdisciplinary Studies Program. Teacher's Guide: Part II.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valencia Community Coll., Orlando, FL.

This teacher's guide was developed for the second of four courses in Valencia Community College's Interdisciplinary Studies Program, a 2-year core general education curriculum which chronologically examines the major developments in the evolution of human knowledge. The guide provides an introductory overview of the semester's topic (i.e., the…

Interdisciplinary Studies Program. Teacher's Guide: Part III.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valencia Community Coll., Orlando, FL.

This teacher's guide was developed for the third of four courses in Valencia Community College's Interdisciplinary Studies program, a 2-year core general education curriculum which chronologically examines the major developments in the evolution of human knowledge. The guide provides an introductory overview of the course's topic (i.e., Western…

Interdisciplinary Studies Program. Teacher's Guide: Part I.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valencia Community Coll., Orlando, FL.

This teacher's guide was developed for the first of four courses in Valencia Community College's Interdisciplinary Studies Program, a 2-year core general education curriculum which chronologically examines the major developments in the evolution of human knowledge. The guide provides an introductory overview of the semester's topic (i.e., the…

Engaging Beginning Teachers as Experts in Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fleming, Jane

2014-01-01

Beginning teachers most often are viewed as needing significant support in all areas of teaching. As a result, professional development (PD) associated with induction programs typically is presented by experienced professionals. This article describes one induction program's attempt to draw on the strengths within its network, engaging new…

MyTeachingPartner-Secondary. What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report [Revised

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

What Works Clearinghouse, 2015

2015-01-01

MyTeachingPartner-Secondary (MTP-S) is a professional development program that aims to increase student learning and development through improved teacher-student interactions. Through the program, middle and high school teachers access a video library featuring examples of high-quality interactions and receive individualized, web-based coaching…

Can Professional Development Programs Help Close the Achievement Gap?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brahler, C. Jayne; Bainbridge, William L.; Stevens, Margaret

2004-01-01

This paper explores the question of whether it is possible to design professional development programs for teachers that can significantly improve student test results and reduce the achievement gap for students. The Dayton (Ohio) Foundation and the Montgomery County (Ohio) Educational Service Center, sponsors of The Miami Valley Teacher/…

Opportunities to Promote Mathematical Content Knowledge for Primary Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Livy, Sharyn; Herbert, Sandra

2014-01-01

Understanding the development of pre-service teachers' mathematical content knowledge (MCK) is important for improving primary mathematics' teacher education. This paper reports on a case study, Rose and her opportunities to develop MCK during the four years of her program. Program opportunities to promote MCK when planning and practicing primary…

A Paradigm Shift toward Evidence-Based Clinical Practice: Developing a Performance Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wentworth, Nancy; Erickson, Lynnette B.; Lawrence, Barbara; Popham, J. Aaron; Korth, Byran

2009-01-01

The Clinical Practice Assessment System (CPAS), developed in response to teacher preparation program accreditation requirements, represents a paradigm shift of one university toward data-based decision-making in teacher education programs. The new assessment system is a scale aligned with INTASC Standards, which allows for observation and…

A Study of Strengthening Secondary Mathematics Teachers' Knowledge of Statistics and Probability via Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeVaul, Lina

2017-01-01

A professional development program (PSPD) was implemented to improve in-service secondary mathematics teachers' content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and self-efficacy in teaching secondary school statistics and probability. Participants generated a teaching resource website at the conclusion of the PSPD program. Participants' content…

Perceptions of Secondary School Teachers and Administrators on Effective Professional Development Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sherrod, Ginnie

2014-01-01

Effective professional development programs have been linked with rigorous state standards and district school improvement goals. Despite efforts of local districts to meet state standards and district school improvement goals, there has been limited research at the local level that has compared administrators' and teachers' perceptions of…

Making Connections: A "Number Curriculum" for Preschoolers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shane, Ruth

This paper discusses a one-page curriculum outline for a preschool mathematics program in Israel. The curriculum was developed in the course of preservice and inservice teacher education programs in Israel, and the mathematics activities offered to support the curriculum were developed by student teachers there. The curriculum starts from…

Principals' instructional management skills and middle school science teacher job satisfaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gibbs-Harper, Nzinga A.

The purpose of this research study was to determine if a relationship exists between teachers' perceptions of principals' instructional leadership behaviors and middle school teacher job satisfaction. Additionally, this study sought to assess whether principal's instructional leadership skills were predictors of middle school teachers' satisfaction with work itself. This study drew from 13 middle schools in an urban Mississippi school district. Participants included teachers who taught science. Each teacher was given the Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale (PIMRS; Hallinger, 2011) and the Teacher Job Satisfaction Questionnaire (TJSQ; Lester, 1987) to answer the research questions. The study was guided by two research questions: (a) Is there a relationship between the independent variables Defining the School's Mission, Managing the Instructional Program, and Developing the School Learning Climate Program and the dependent variable Work Itself?; (b) Are Defining the School's Mission, Managing the Instructional Program, and Developing the School Learning Climate Program predictors of Work Itself? The Pearson's correlation and multiple regression analysis were utilized to examine the relationship between the three dimensions of principals' instructional leadership and teacher satisfaction with work itself. The data revealed that there was a strong, positive correlation between all three dimensions of principals' instructional leadership and teacher satisfaction with work itself. However, the multiple regression analysis determined that teachers' perceptions of principals' instructional management skills is a slight predictor of Defining the School's Mission only.

Changes in Pre-Service Teachers Perceptions' of Teacher Qualities: Development from Egocentric to Student Centric

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheridan, Lynn D.

2013-01-01

This study looks at pre-service teachers' developing perceptions with a view to supporting teacher education practices. In determining and guiding program structures it is the opinions of the experts that are most often heard. Absent from this debate is an understanding of the changing perceptions of the pre-service teacher as they progress…

The Altered Role of Experienced Teachers in Professional Development Schools: The Present and Its Possibilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schussler, Deborah L.

2006-01-01

Evidence suggests that student teaching is one of the most influential components of a teacher education program, and the cooperating teacher exerts the greatest influence on a student teacher. Therefore, it is vital to understand how the role of experienced teachers is affected by the implementation of a professional development school (PDS) as…

A Revised Approach to the Professional Development and Licensure of Secondary T&I Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Reilly, Patrick A.; And Others

A new approach to the initial preparation and continuing professional development of trade and industrial (T&I) teachers is appropriate because the majority of secondary T&I teachers have not completed teacher education programs. To accommodate the needs of individuals desiring to become T&I teachers and the needs of the schools, the new system…

Working with What They Have: Professional Development as a Reform Strategy in Rural Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barrett, Nathan; Cowen, Joshua; Toma, Eugenia; Troske, Suzanne

2015-01-01

In-service teacher professional development has been used to improve teacher effectiveness. In Kentucky, the National Science Foundation funded a large professional development program called the Appalachian Math and Science Partnership (AMSP) to provide content-based professional development to teachers in rural schools. We show that students…

The Impact of a Professional Development Program on Elementary Teachers' Science Knowledge and Pedagogical Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferreira, Maria Madalena

2015-01-01

Teacher professional development plays an important role in a teacher's growth and every year school districts spend a large portion of their budgets in professional development activities. However, as districts face increasing budget cuts, funds for professional development compete against other district priorities. As a result, partnerships…

Science Teachers' Conceptualizations and Implications for the Development of the Professional Development Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaymakamoglu, Sibel Ersel

2017-01-01

This study aimed to investigate the two primary school science teachers' conceptions of professional development, their perceptions of self-improvement and the factors influencing their professional development. In this investigation, a case study approach was adopted. The participant teachers were given a semi-structured interview and the data…

Supporting universal prevention programs: a two-phased coaching model.

PubMed

Becker, Kimberly D; Darney, Dana; Domitrovich, Celene; Keperling, Jennifer Pitchford; Ialongo, Nicholas S

2013-06-01

Schools are adopting evidence-based programs designed to enhance students' emotional and behavioral competencies at increasing rates (Hemmeter et al. in Early Child Res Q 26:96-109, 2011). At the same time, teachers express the need for increased support surrounding implementation of these evidence-based programs (Carter and Van Norman in Early Child Educ 38:279-288, 2010). Ongoing professional development in the form of coaching may enhance teacher skills and implementation (Noell et al. in School Psychol Rev 34:87-106, 2005; Stormont et al. 2012). There exists a need for a coaching model that can be applied to a variety of teacher skill levels and one that guides coach decision-making about how best to support teachers. This article provides a detailed account of a two-phased coaching model with empirical support developed and tested with coaches and teachers in urban schools (Becker et al. 2013). In the initial universal coaching phase, all teachers receive the same coaching elements regardless of their skill level. Then, in the tailored coaching phase, coaching varies according to the strengths and needs of each teacher. Specifically, more intensive coaching strategies are used only with teachers who need additional coaching supports, whereas other teachers receive just enough support to consolidate and maintain their strong implementation. Examples of how coaches used the two-phased coaching model when working with teachers who were implementing two universal prevention programs (i.e., the PATHS curriculum and PAX Good Behavior Game [PAX GBG]) provide illustrations of the application of this model. The potential reach of this coaching model extends to other school-based programs as well as other settings in which coaches partner with interventionists to implement evidence-based programs.

Problem Implementation as a Lever for Change: An Experimental Study of the Effects of a Professional Development Program on Students' Mathematics Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santagata, Rossella; Kersting, Nicole; Givvin, Karen B.; Stigler, James W.

2011-01-01

This study investigates, through an experimental design, the effectiveness of a professional development program on teacher knowledge and practices and on student learning. The program consisted of a series of video-based modules designed to respond to needs of U.S. teachers, as highlighted by findings from the 1999 Third International Mathematics…

AN 8-WEEK SUMMER INSTITUTE TRAINING PROGRAM TO RETRAIN OFFICE EDUCATION TEACHERS FOR TEACHING BUSINESS ELECTRONIC DATA PROCESSING.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

CARTER, FOREST C.

AN 8-WEEK SEMINAR WAS HELD TO RETRAIN TEACHERS WITH A MINIMUM OF 3-YEARS' EXPERIENCE IN BUSINESS OR OFFICE EDUCATION TO TEACH BUSINESS DATA PROCESSING AND PROGRAMING TECHNIQUES. THE OBJECTIVES WERE TO ASSIST IN THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT NECESSARY FOR PREPARING COMPUTER PROGRAMERS AND APPLICATION ANALYSTS, AND TO DEVELOP COURSE MATERIAL,…

Science and the City: Community Cultural and Natural Resources at the Core of a Place-Based, Science Teacher Preparation Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miele, Eleanor A.; Powell, Wayne G.

2010-01-01

The departments of Geology and Education at Brooklyn College collaborated with five informal educational institutions in the development of a place-based graduate program for Earth science teachers. The team used "backward design" to develop a program of courses that are thematically structured and use a city-as-lab approach that places…

Repetita Iuvant? Lessons from Repeated RCTs on the Effectiveness of a Teacher Professional Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pennisi, Aline; Argentin, Gianluca; Abbiati, Giovanni; Caputo, Andrea

2016-01-01

This work summarizes the results of two randomized control trails (RCTs) aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of a professional development program for lower secondary school math teachers. The program, called M@t.abel, was financed by the Ministry of Education in Southern Italy with EU funds. It lasts a full school year and it is based on formal…

Using a Moodle-Based Professional Development Program to Train Science Teachers to Teach for Creativity and Its Effectiveness on Their Teaching Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Balushi, Sulaiman M.; Al-Abdali, Nasser S.

2015-01-01

This study describes a distance learning professional development program that we designed for the purpose of training science teachers to teach for creativity. The Moodle platform was used to host the training. To ensure that trainees would benefit from this distance learning program, we designed the instructional activities according to the…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

2012-01-01

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

Program Evaluation Report for Sulphur Springs Independent School District Project STYLE (Students and Teachers Yearning to Learn Effectively) 2004-2005

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Combs, Julie P.; Jackson, Sherion H.

2005-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to present findings from a program evaluation conducted to examine the effectiveness of the Schools Attuned program in a north Texas school district. Schools Attuned was developed by a professor of pediatrics, Dr. Mel Levine (2002), as a professional development model to train teachers to identify cognitive and…

STAR - Research Experiences at National Laboratory Facilities for Pre-Service and Early Career Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keller, J. M.; Rebar, B.; Buxner, S.

2012-12-01

The STEM Teacher and Researcher (STAR) Program provides pre-service and beginning teachers the opportunity to develop identity as both teachers and researchers early in their careers. Founded and implemented by the Center for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Education (CESaME) at California Polytechnic State University on behalf of the California State University (CSU) system, STAR provides cutting edge research experiences and career development for students affiliated with the CSU system. Over the past three summers, STAR has also partnered with the NSF Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program to include Noyce Scholars from across the country. Key experiences are one to three summers of paid research experience at federal research facilities associated with the Department of Energy (DOE), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), and the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO). Anchoring beginning teachers in the research community enhances participant understanding of what it means to be both researchers and effective teachers. Since its inception in 2007, the STAR Program has partnered with 15 national lab facilities to provide 290 research experiences to 230 participants. Several of the 68 STAR Fellows participating in the program during Summer 2012 have submitted abstracts to the Fall AGU Meeting. Through continued partnership with the Noyce Scholar Program and contributions from outside funding sources, the CSU is committed to sustaining the STAR Program in its efforts to significantly impact teacher preparation. Evaluation results from the program continue to indicate program effectiveness in recruiting high quality science and math majors into the teaching profession and impacting their attitudes and beliefs towards the nature of science and teaching through inquiry. Additionally, surveys and interviews are being conducted of participants who are now teaching in the classroom as part of a project to investigate the impact of the STAR Program on teaching practices. Preliminary analyses indicate that STAR fellows have maintained a strong distributed community of support following their summer experience, including continued contact with their research mentors and other fellows. The STAR research experience has also reinforced and strengthened many of the teachers' commitment to teaching. Additionally, teachers report how their STAR experience contributed to specific practices they use in the classroom to help students develop hypotheses, design experiments, and report their findings to the class. The STAR Program was presented to and cited by the Presidential Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) as a national model for addressing K-12 science and math teacher workforce needs. It has also been recognized as a uniquely promising model for recruiting, preparing and retaining outstanding STEM teachers in such national publications as the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) Peer Review journal and the National Science Teachers Association NSTA Reports. STAR was also recently cited in an editorial in Science (May 4, 2012) as a model teacher-researcher program that enhances professionalism in science teaching.

A Study on Reflection in In-Service Teacher Development: Introducing Reflective Practitioner Development Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kayapinar, Ulas

2016-01-01

To date, studies on reflection seem to lack concern for in-service teacher development. This article proposes a new EFL reflective practitioner development model (RPDM) for an in-service program that is not only based on the principles of reflection, but that also measures teachers' reflective and self-efficacy development. Focusing on the…

Designing and evaluating a STEM teacher learning opportunity in the research university.

PubMed

Hardré, Patricia L; Ling, Chen; Shehab, Randa L; Herron, Jason; Nanny, Mark A; Nollert, Matthias U; Refai, Hazem; Ramseyer, Christopher; Wollega, Ebisa D

2014-04-01

This study examines the design and evaluation strategies for a year-long teacher learning and development experience, including their effectiveness, efficiency and recommendations for strategic redesign. Design characteristics include programmatic features and outcomes: cognitive, affective and motivational processes; interpersonal and social development; and performance activities. Program participants were secondary math and science teachers, partnered with engineering faculty mentors, in a research university-based education and support program. Data from multiple sources demonstrated strengths and weaknesses in design of the program's learning environment, including: face-to-face and via digital tools; on-site and distance community interactions; and strategic evaluation tools and systems. Implications are considered for the strategic design and evaluation of similar grant-funded research experiences intended to support teacher learning, development and transfer. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Systemic Perspectives on Beginning Teacher Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schlechty, Phillip C.; Whitford, Betty Lou

1989-01-01

Discusses the importance of basing beginning teacher programs in schools where roles are structured to support induction and provide exemplary education for students. Addresses structural and political issues, human resource development, and symbolism. (RJC)

Understanding Teachers' Perceptions of Student Support Systems in Relation to Teachers' Stress

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ball, Annahita; Anderson-Butcher, Dawn

2014-01-01

Expanded school mental health (ESMH) programs are critical for addressing children's social and emotional development in schools. As broad, multisystem approaches, ESMH programs rely on teachers for effective and sustainable primary, secondary, and tertiary school mental health service delivery. In light of the increasing mental health needs…

Graduate Students' Understanding of Educational Research in a Master of Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moulding, Louise R.; Hadley, Kristin M.

2010-01-01

Background: Graduate teacher education programs focus on developing professional teachers' pedagogical skills and professional knowledge, however they may also require a thesis. Completion of the thesis necessitates that graduate students have an understanding of educational research; this is often not well understood by teachers nor is it an…

"He Said It All in Navajo!": Indigenous Language Immersion in Early Childhood Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lockard, Louise; De Groat, Jennie

2010-01-01

This paper describes the historical and social foundations of the Navajo Headstart Immersion program. The researchers have worked as teachers, teacher educators, and parents in these programs. They reflect on the need for new partnerships among tribes, tribal colleges and universities to prepare teachers and to develop curriculum materials for…

Stemming Teacher Turnover in Rural Settings: A Follow-Up Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sullivan, Michael E.

This paper describes an alternative certification program that was developed to address the shortage of certified special education teachers in West Virginia. The goal of the program is to provide students from a noneducational background with opportunities at the master's degree level to become special education teachers in one of three…

75 FR 26945 - International Education Programs Service-Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-13

... higher education, and (2) projects that propose 50 percent or greater participation of K-12 teachers, K... area studies as part of a teacher education curriculum developed through collaboration between colleges... these schools and/or departments of education to prepare future teachers with the skills required to...

Developing Medical Students as Teachers: An Anatomy-Based Student-as-Teacher Program with Emphasis on Core Teaching Competencies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jay, Erie Andrew; Starkman, Sidney J.; Pawlina, Wojciech; Lachman, Nirusha

2013-01-01

Teaching is an increasingly recognized responsibility of the resident physician. Residents, however, often assume teaching responsibilities without adequate preparation. Consequently, many medical schools have implemented student-as-teacher (SAT) programs that provide near-peer teaching opportunities to senior medical students. Near-peer teaching…

Total Program Efficacy: A Comparison of Traditionally and Alternatively Certified Agriculture Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duncan, Dennis W.; Ricketts, John C.

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine agriculture teachers' perceived levels of efficacy as they relate to managing the total program of agricultural education, both for traditionally and alternatively certified teachers. The constructs used in this study were technical content, FFA/leadership development/SAE, teaching and learning, and…

Enhancing Intercultural Understanding for Pre-Service Teachers through Developing and Sustaining Education Abroad Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marcus, Alan S.; Moss, David M.

2015-01-01

This article discusses two education abroad programs that afford pre-service teachers with purposeful opportunities to enhance their intercultural competence through immersion in teaching internships in British schools. The programs, in London and Nottingham, provide pre-service teachers with direct experiences that engage them with diverse…

Toward a Framework of Inclusive Social Studies: Obstacles and Opportunities in a Preservice Teacher Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Urban, Dennis Joseph, Jr.

2013-01-01

This study explores how one secondary social studies teacher education program prepares prospective teachers for inclusive education. Drawing on theories of democratic citizenship education and Disability Studies in Education, inclusive social studies envisions a socially democratic educational setting that fosters the development of a community…

Community Organizations' Programming and the Development of Community Science Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Varelas, Maria; Morales-Doyle, Daniel; Raza, Syeda; Segura, David; Canales, Karen; Mitchener, Carole

2018-01-01

In this study, we explored how science teacher candidates construct ideas about science teaching and learning in the context of partnerships with urban community-based organizations. We used a case study design focusing on a group of 10 preservice teachers' participation in educational programming that focused on environmental racism and connected…

Doorways III: Teacher Reference Materials. On School-Related Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Agency for International Development, 2009

2009-01-01

The Doorways training program was designed by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Safe Schools Program (Safe Schools) to enable teachers, community members and students to prevent and respond to school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV). This booklet, "Doorways III: Teacher Reference Materials on School-Related…

Stopping the Leak: Retaining Beginning Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, Rita C.; Glessner, Linda L.; Tolson, Homer

2007-01-01

The need for teacher retention has prompted numerous American states to provide programs for training mentors. The goal of mentor training is to offer a support mechanism that will retain novice teachers and assist them in developing their teaching skills. Such a program is the Texas Beginning Educator Support System (TxBESS) which has supported…

Building Future Directions for Teacher Learning in Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Kathy; Lindsay, Simon

2016-01-01

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…

Using Accountability Measures in the Preparation of Preservice Teachers To Make a Difference in the Learning of All Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Larry B.; Salzman, Stephanie; Frantz, Alan; Newsome, Jack; Martin, Martha

This paper describes the transformation of Idaho State University's teacher education program in response to various initiatives regarding educational change. The transformation process involved framing a standards-based preparation program. Developers created a Core Standards for Beginning Teachers that established exit outcomes for prospective…

Report Card on the Effectiveness of Teacher Training Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tennessee State Board of Education, 2010

2010-01-01

Tennessee Code Annotated 49-5-108 requires the state to develop a report card or assessment on the effectiveness of teacher training programs. This report includes data on the performance of each institution's graduates in the following areas required by state statute: placement and retention rates, Praxis results, and teacher effect data based on…

Stretching Your Budget: Notes on Working with Sporting Goods Dealers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomson, William C.

2009-01-01

Pre-service teachers take many courses in college training programs in order to become teachers and coaches. Teachers have in-service training programs, varied across many school divisions or districts, which help keep them abreast of current methods in teaching and serve as professional development opportunities. However, budgetary planning and…

Teacher Supply and Demand Problems in a Developing Society: Peru.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paulston, Rolland G.

This paper examines the organization, major functions, and general characteristics of Peruvian teacher education programs, as well as some recent attempts to effect qualitative changes in these and in teacher inservice education programs, which point the way to a more rational and modern normal-school system. The first normal schools, established…

Grade Level Effects of the Incredible Years Teacher Training Program on Emotion Regulation and Attention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murray, Desiree W.; Rabiner, David L.; Carrig, Madeline M.

2014-01-01

Professional development for teachers has historically been fairly didactic in nature (Garet et al., 2001; Rose & Church, 1998), which is believed to limit effectiveness and translation to teacher practice change (Fixsen, Naoom, Blase, Friedman, & Wallace, 2005). One well-established program with a more active, collaborative training…

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.

The Master's Degree in Education as Teacher Professional Development: Re-Envisioning the Role of the Academy in the Development of Practicing Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Galluzzo, Gary; Isenberg, Joan P.; White, Stephen C.; Fox, Rebecca K.

2012-01-01

Teacher education is under more scrutiny than ever as standards-based education is becoming more and more the norm. Although much literature is available that addresses developing teacher education, no one addresses how to create and develop a master's level program. Gary R. Galluzzo, Joan Packer Isenberg, C. Stephen White, and Rebecca K. Fox,…

Quality of implementation: developing measures crucial to understanding the diffusion of preventive interventions.

PubMed

Dusenbury, Linda; Brannigan, Rosalind; Hansen, William B; Walsh, John; Falco, Mathea

2005-06-01

As prevention programs become disseminated, the most serious threat to effectiveness is maintaining the quality of implementation intended by the developers. This paper proposes a methodology for measuring quality of implementation in school settings and presents data from a pilot study designed to test several of the proposed components. These methods included assessments of adherence, quality of process, the positive or negative valence of adaptations, teachers' attitudes and teachers' understanding of program content. This study was conducted with 11 teachers who had varying degrees of experience who taught Life Skills Training. Observation and interview data were collected during visits to schools. Results suggest that quality of implementation can be measured through observation and interview. Teachers varied in adherence and quality of program delivery. All teachers made adaptations to the program. Experienced teachers were more likely to adhere to the curriculum, deliver it in a way that was more interactive and engaging to students, communicate the goals and objectives better, and make positive adaptations. The field can use these findings as the basis for exploring strategies for measuring and improving quality of implementation.

The Role of Mentors in Developing and Implementing High-Quality Field-Based Placements

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paulsen, Kim; DaFonte, Alexandra; Barton-Arwood, Sally

2015-01-01

Teacher preparation programs (TPP) rely on school-based mentor teachers and university mentors to assist their teacher candidates with bridging the information presented in courses to the "real world" of teaching. Given the important role that the clinical components of teacher preparation provide in terms of candidate development, the…

HOMEMAKING IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, A RESOURCE GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM TEACHERS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

SICKLER, SUZANNE

THIS GUIDE PROVIDES BASIC INFORMATION ON ORGANIZATION, OPERATION, CURRICULUM, FACILITIES, AND RESOURCES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A HOMEMAKING EXPERIENCE-CENTERED PROGRAM IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. IT MAY BE USED BY A HOMEROOM TEACHER WITH A VISITING HOMEMAKING TEACHER CONSULTANT OR BY A HOMEMAKING TEACHER IN SCHEDULED CLASSES. IT WAS DEVELOPED BY A…

Where Are the Good Mentors?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCann, Thomas M., Ed.; Johannessen, Larry, Ed.

2009-01-01

New teachers need to know that the connections with a wide web of colleagues and friends support professional growth and well-being. In this article, the authors focus on effective ways to support new English teachers and student teachers by developing a mentoring program. It is more realistic to encourage new teachers to develop a "network of…

Hot Tips for Teachers. Staff Development Series. [Videotape].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

TV Ontario, Toronto.

This 15-minute videotape offers a motivational staff development program for teachers. Four segments focus on: (1) preparing for the teacher's absence (e.g., knowing the school's policy and protocol, preparing a safety kit for the substitute teacher, and keeping a box of learning materials available for the substitute); (2) effective learning…

Teacher Perceptions of NeuroEducation: A Mixed Methods Survey of Teachers in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Serpati, Lauren; Loughan, Ashlee R.

2012-01-01

Pickering and Howard-Jones (2007) reported educators' enthusiasm for NeuroEducation from a sample of teachers attending neuroscience professional development courses. Their results revealed teachers: (1) are enthusiastic about the role of neuroscience in education; (2) believe an understanding of the brain for educational program development is…

Cases for Teacher Development: Preparing for the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldblatt, Patricia F., Ed.; Smith, Deirdre, Ed.

2005-01-01

With the recent and increasing attention to accountability and standards, teacher preparation programs are more than ever in need of tools that vicariously acquaint future teachers with the difficult situations they will face. This book is the perfect catalyst for this sort of teacher development. The cases encourage students to immerse themselves…

A Collaborative Action Research Plan for Professional and Curriculum Development: A Research Proposal.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sze-yin, Yeung; Tak-shing, Lam; Wai-shing, Li

Teacher learning and development have been perennial issues for teacher educators, principals, administrators, and practitioners. The issues spring up from the understanding that teachers, like their students, must engage themselves in learning throughout their career. No matter how complete the training program is, it cannot equip a teacher to…

Personalized Workplace Learning: An Exploratory Study on Digital Badging within a Teacher Professional Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gamrat, Christopher; Zimmerman, Heather Toomey; Dudek, Jaclyn; Peck, Kyle

2014-01-01

To provide customized workplace learning opportunities, a digital badge system was designed by a university, governmental agency and national professional association to support teachers' implementation of professional development (PD). Teacher Learning Journeys (TLJ) is an approach that allows for teachers to customize their PD experience to…

Interactive and Collaborative Professional Development for In-Service History Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Callahan, Cory; Saye, John; Brush, Thomas

2016-01-01

This article advances a continuing line of inquiry into an innovative teacher-support program intended to help in-service history teachers develop professional teaching knowledge for inquiry-based history instruction. Two prior iterations informed our design and use of professional development materials; they also informed the implementation…

Flipped ESL Teacher Professional Development: Embracing Change to Remain Relevant

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Razak, Rafiza Abdul; Kaur, Dalwinder; Halili, Siti Hajar; Ramlan, Zahri

2016-01-01

Many traditional professional development programs that are initiated to equip ESL teachers with knowledge and skills have been futile for numerous reasons. This paper addresses a gap in the recent research of ESL teachers' professional development. Literature has revealed many shortcomings of the traditional and online professional development…

The Development of Beginning Mathematics Teacher Pedagogical Content Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lannin, John K.; Webb, Matthew; Chval, Kathryn; Arbaugh, Fran; Hicks, Sarah; Taylor, Cynthia; Bruton, Rebecca

2013-01-01

Recent research efforts (Schmidt et al. in "The preparation gap: teacher education for middle school mathematics in six countries," MSU Center for Research in Mathematics and Science Education, 2007) demonstrate that teacher development programs in high-performing countries offer experiences that are designed to develop both mathematical…

QuarkNet: Benefits for Teachers, Their Students and Physicists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bardeen, Marjorie

2017-01-01

The QuarkNet Collaboration has forged nontraditional relationships among particle physicists, high school teachers and their students. QuarkNet centers are located at 50 + universities and labs across the U.S. and Puerto Rico. We provide professional development for teachers and create opportunities for teachers and students to engage in particle physics data investigations and join research teams. Students develop scientific knowledge and habits of mind by working alongside scientists to make sense of the world using authentic experimental data. Our program is based a classroom vision where teaching strategies emulate closely the way scientists build knowledge through inquiry. We look at how student engagement in research and masterclasses develops an understanding about the process of scientific discovery and science using current scientific data. We also look at ways and to what extent teachers provide scientific discovery and science practices for students and how QuarkNet contributes to the professionalism of participating teachers. Also, we describe success factors that enhance local center programs and describe important benefits of the program that flow to university faculty. Funded by the National Science Foundation and the US Department of Energy.

A Teacher-Scientist Partnership as a Vehicle to Incorporate Climate Data in Secondary Science Curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hatheway, B.

2013-12-01

After three years of running a climate science professional development program for secondary teachers, project staff from UCAR and UNC-Greeley have learned the benefits of ample time for interaction between teachers and scientists, informal educators, and their peers. This program gave us the opportunity to develop and refine strategies that leverage teacher-scientist partnerships to improve teachers' ability to teach climate change. First, we prepared both teachers and scientists to work together. Each cohort of teachers took an online course that emphasized climate change content and pedagogy and built a learning community. Scientists were recruited based on their enthusiasm for working with teachers and coached to present materials in an accessible way. Second, the teachers and scientists collaborated during a four-week summer workshop at UCAR. During the workshop, teachers met with a wide range of climate and atmospheric scientists to learn about research, selected a specific scientist's research they would like to adapt for their classrooms, and developed and refined activities based on that research. The program includes strong mentoring from a team of science educators, structured peer feedback, and ample opportunity to interact with the scientists by asking questions, accessing data, or checking resources. This new model of professional development fosters teacher-scientist partnerships. By the end of the four-week workshop, the teachers have built customized activities based on the cutting-edge research being conducted by participating scientists, developed plans to implement and assess those activities, and further strengthened the learning-community that they will rely on for support during the following academic year. This session will provide information about how this model, which differs from the more common model of engaging teachers in research under the direction of scientists, was successful and accomplished positive outcomes for both the teachers and scientists who participated. Lessons learned that will improve this model will also be discussed.

Collegiate Aviation Review. September 1995.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barker, Ballard M., Ed.

This document contains three papers on aviation education. "Aviation/Aerospace Teacher Education Workshops: Program Development and Implementation" (Mavis F. Green) discusses practical issues in the development of an aviation/aerospace teacher education workshop designed to help elementary school teachers promote aviation to their…

Promoting cognitive and social aspects of inquiry through classroom discourse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2016-01-01

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

Transforming Teacher Education: Reflections from the Field

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carroll, David, Ed.; Featherstone, Helen, Ed.; Featherstone, Joseph, Ed.; Feiman-Nemser, Sharon, Ed.; Roosevelt, Dirck, Ed.

2007-01-01

At a time when traditional teacher education is coming under fire, "Transforming Teacher Education" presents a powerful vision of what teacher education could and should be. "Transforming Teacher Education" offers an intimate, reflective account of the development of the renowned Team One teacher education program at Michigan…

Assimilation or transformation? An analysis of change in ten secondary science teachers following an inquiry-based research experience for teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blanchard, Margaret R.

2006-12-01

It is argued that teachers must experience inquiry in order to be able to translate it to their classrooms. The National Science Foundation's (NSF's) Research Experiences for Teachers (RETs) offer promising programs, yet scant empirical support documents the effectiveness of these programs. In this study, ten experienced, secondary science teachers were followed back to the classroom after a five-week, marine ecology RET, addressing the questions: How do teachers' conceptions and enactment of classroom inquiry change after the program?; What are the program's goals?; What accounts for these differences?; and What do these findings imply for future RETs? Data collected includes pre and post program questionnaires, audiotapes and videotapes of pre and post program teaching, post program STIR instrument responses, interviews, and field notes. The study found that an extensive, reflective program model, conducted by scientists who are teacher-centered, successfully conveyed the program model of inquiry. Post program, teachers' conceptions of inquiry were more student centered, focused less on assessment and classroom management and more on authentic content, questions, and presentations, and incorporated program language. Question patterns during enactment shifted to fewer teacher questions, more student questions, and increased higher order questions by students and teachers. More procedural questions indicated role shifts. The STIR instrument fostered understanding of enactment and, with critical incidents analyses, highlighted underlying teacher value structures. Teachers with more theoretical sophistication and who had Rationalistic and Egalitarian value structures applied inquiry throughout their teaching and moved beyond contextual constraints. Implications suggest that those who develop and implement RETs need to be masterful "bridge builders" to help transition teachers and their learning back to the classroom. Reflection holds promise for illuminating teachers' underlying values and goals and in gaining an understanding of teachers' enactment. Curriculum materials and theoretical readings can assist teacher change. Assimilation of new knowledge does not necessarily lead to transformation of practices. Rather, this study found that teachers with values and goals that were compatible to the RET, as well as an accompanying high level of theoretical sophistication, moved toward transformational change.

Translating Current Science into Materials for High School via a Scientist-Teacher Partnership

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, Julie C.; Bokor, Julie R.; Crippen, Kent J.; Koroly, Mary Jo

2014-04-01

Scientist-teacher partnerships are a unique form of professional development that can assist teachers in translating current science into classroom instruction by involving them in meaningful collaborations with university researchers. However, few reported models aim to directly alter science teachers' practices by supporting them in the development of curriculum materials. This article reports on a multiple case study of seven high school science teachers who attended an ongoing scientist-teacher partnership professional development program at a major Southeastern research university. Our interest was to understand the capacity of this professional development program for supporting teachers in the transfer of personal learning experiences with advanced science content and skills into curriculum materials for high school students. Findings indicate that, regardless of their ultimate success constructing curriculum materials, all cases considered the research grounded professional development supports beneficial to their professional growth with the exception of collective participation. Additionally, the cases also described how supports such as professional recognition and transferability served as affordances to the process of constructing these materials. However, teachers identified multiple constraints, including personal learning barriers, their classroom context, and the cost associated with implementing some of their curriculum ideas. Results have direct implications for future research and the purposeful design of professional development experiences through scientist-teacher partnerships.

Meeting the Demands of Science Reforms: A Comprehensive Professional Development for Practicing Middle School Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pringle, Rose M.; Mesa, Jennifer; Hayes, Lynda

2018-03-01

Preparing teachers to teach science consistent with current reforms in science education is a daunting enterprise given a lack of high-quality science professional development (PD) adaptable across various contexts (Wilson 2013). This study examines the impact of a comprehensive professional development program on middle school teachers' disciplinary content knowledge and instructional practices. In this mixed methods investigation, data sources included classroom observations, content knowledge assessments, surveys, and a range of interviews. The teachers in the program showed significant improvements in their disciplinary content knowledge and demonstrated through their enactment of a reform-based curriculum, a range of ability levels to translate their knowledge into instructional practices consistent with the principles espoused in the PD. We conclude that programs that attend to elements of effective PD identified in the literature can positively impact middle school science teachers' enactment of reform-based science teaching. Our findings extend these elements to include the strategic engagement of school and district leadership and the provision of a safe learning space for teachers to collectively engage in reciprocal learning and critical practice. This study has worldwide implications for designing PD for science teachers and for extending our understanding of the impact of each element.

Deaf Education Teacher Preparation: A Phenomenological Case Study of a Graduate Program With a Comprehensive Philosophy.

PubMed

Engler, Karen S; MacGregor, Cynthia J

2018-01-01

At a time when deaf education teacher preparation programs are declining in number, little is known about their actual effectiveness. A phenomenological case study of a graduate-level comprehensive deaf education teacher preparation program at a midwestern university explored empowered and enabled learning of teacher candidates using the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education educator pillars: (a) commitment to the profession, (b) proficiency in practice, and (c) learning impact, all deemed critical to developing quality teachers. A strong connection was found between the program's comprehensive philosophy and its practice. Embracing diversity of d/Deafness and differentiated instruction were the most prevalent themes expressed by participants. Teacher candidates displayed outstanding commitment to the profession and high proficiency in practice. The findings suggest that additional consideration should be given to classroom and behavior management, teacher candidate workload, teaching beyond academics, and preparation for navigating the public school system.