Teachers' Professional Learning: The Role of Knowledge Management Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Niehoff, Karissa

2010-01-01

This qualitative study explored the degree to which knowledge management strategies addressed teacher professional learning at the high school level. In the setting of a Connecticut public high school, interviews were conducted which explored teacher perceptions of knowledge sharing practices in the school and how those practices influenced their…

Teachers' Knowledge Development and Change: Untangling Beliefs and Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Theriot, Shirley; Tice, Kathleen C.

2009-01-01

Through a case-study approach, the authors focus on understanding the complexity of teachers' knowledge development, particularly as it pertains to teachers' beliefs about literacy development and their teaching practices in literacy. Participants of the study are middle-school teachers who shared their beliefs and practices through (1) a…

Know How? Show How: Experienced Teachers Share Best Practices through Ontario Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amato, Lindy; Anthony, Paul; Strachan, Jim

2014-01-01

Launched in 2007, the Teacher Learning and Leadership Program, out of Ontario, Canada, operates on the belief that classroom teachers know their learning needs and the needs of their students best. Additionally, the program assumes teachers have the greatest knowledge of how to build and foster multiple learning networks in order to share their…

The Association between Attitude towards the Implementation of Staff Development Training and the Practice of Knowledge Sharing among Lecturers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kassim, Abd. Latif; Raman, Arumugam; Don, Yahya; Daud, Yaakob; Omar, Mohd Sofian

2015-01-01

This study was aimed to identify the association of teachers' attitude towards the implementation of Staff Development Training with Knowledge Sharing Practices among the lecturers of the Teacher Training Institution (TTI). In addition, this study was also to examine the differences in attitudes towards the implementation of Staff Development…

Reasoning Mind Genie 2: An Intelligent Tutoring System as a Vehicle for International Transfer of Instructional Methods in Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khachatryan, George A.; Romashov, Andrey V.; Khachatryan, Alexander R.; Gaudino, Steven J.; Khachatryan, Julia M.; Guarian, Konstantin R.; Yufa, Nataliya V.

2014-01-01

Effective mathematics teachers have a large body of professional knowledge, which is largely undocumented and shared by teachers working in a given country's education system. The volume and cultural nature of this knowledge make it particularly challenging to share curricula and instructional methods between countries. Thus, approaches based on…

Collaborative Design of Technology-Enhanced Learning: What Can We Learn from Teacher Talk?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKenney, Susan; Boschman, Ferry; Pieters, Jules; Voogt, Joke

2016-01-01

The collaborative design of technology-enhanced learning is seen as a practical and effective professional development strategy, especially because teachers learn from each other as they share and apply knowledge. But how teacher design team participants draw on and develop their knowledge has not yet been investigated. This qualitative…

Organizing Physics Teacher Professional Education around Productive Habit Development: A Way to Meet Reform Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Etkina, Eugenia; Gregorcic, Bor; Vokos, Stamatis

2017-01-01

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…

Deep Smarts: How to Tap Teachers' Tacit Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burbach, Harold J.; Duke, Daniel L.

2007-01-01

Principals can tap the tacit knowledge, or "deep smarts," of their teachers in a variety of ways, many of which are based on the notion that tacit knowledge is best sought indirectly. Coming right out and asking people to share what they have learned over the years can be intimidating and disconcerting, especially if trust has not yet been…

Development of a Performance Assessment Task and Rubric to Measure Prospective Secondary School Mathematics Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koirala, Hari P.; Davis, Marsha; Johnson, Peter

2008-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to share a performance assessment task and rubric designed to assess secondary school mathematics preservice teachers' pedagogical content knowledge and skills. The assessment task and rubric were developed in collaboration with five education faculty, four arts and sciences faculty, and four high school teachers over…

Online Collaboration--How to Start

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindsay, Julie

2016-01-01

Thanks to the development of faster Internet and better technology tools, students and teachers can network, collaborate, co-create products, build knowledge together, and share that knowledge with whomever they want around the world. Julie Lindsay describes online resources, tools, and projects that teachers can use for online global…

Secondary Preservice Teachers' Perspectives on Teacher Self-Disclosure as Citizenship Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Shaoan

2010-01-01

This article explores secondary preservice teachers' attitudes toward the use of teacher self-disclosure as a tool for citizenship education. Based on the notion that teacher self-disclosure may function as citizenship curriculum, this study addressed critical issues of teachers' sharing their knowledge about religions (including their own) and…

Preparing beginning reading teachers: An experimental comparison of initial early literacy field experiences.

PubMed

Al Otaiba, Stephanie; Lake, Vickie E; Greulich, Luana; Folsom, Jessica S; Guidry, Lisa

2012-01-01

This randomized-control trial examined the learning of preservice teachers taking an initial Early Literacy course in an early childhood education program and of the kindergarten or first grade students they tutored in their field experience. Preservice teachers were randomly assigned to one of two tutoring programs: Book Buddies and Tutor Assisted Intensive Learning Strategies (TAILS), which provided identical meaning-focused instruction (shared book reading), but differed in the presentation of code-focused skills. TAILS used explicit, scripted lessons, and the Book Buddies required that code-focused instruction take place during shared book reading. Our research goal was to understand which tutoring program would be most effective in improving knowledge about reading, lead to broad and deep language and preparedness of the novice preservice teachers, and yield the most successful student reading outcomes. Findings indicate that all pre-service teachers demonstrated similar gains in knowledge, but preservice teachers in the TAILS program demonstrated broader and deeper application of knowledge and higher self-ratings of preparedness to teach reading. Students in both conditions made similar comprehension gains, but students tutored with TAILS showed significantly stronger decoding gains.

Intergenerational Sharing of Knowledge as Means of Deepening the Organisational Learning Culture in Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klein, Joseph; Shapira-Lishchinsky, Orly

2016-01-01

Learning organisations promote the transfer of insights to new personnel (vertical dimension) and the development of shared team knowledge (horizontal dimension). Educational research focuses mainly on the horizontal dimension. This study examined a theoretical framework combining both dimensions and its contribution to teachers' work. Three…

Early-Years Teachers' Professional Upgrading in Science: a Long-Term Programme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kallery, Maria

2017-04-01

In this paper, we present a professional development/upgrading programme in science for early-years teachers and investigate its impact on the teachers' competencies in relation to their knowledge and teaching of science. The basic idea of the programme was to motivate the teachers by making them members of an action research group aimed at developing and implementing curriculum activities to which they would contribute and thus meaningfully engaging them in their own learning. The programme used a `collaborative partnership' model for the development of the activities. In this model, the collaborative notion is defined as an act of `shared creation': partners share a goal and members bring their expertise to the partnership. Within this context, the partners were a researcher in science education with a background in physics, who also served as a facilitator, and six in-service early-years teachers with a background in early-years pedagogy and developmental sciences, who had many years of experience (classroom experts). These teachers participated in the programme as co-designers, but were involved to a significantly lesser degree than the researcher. The programme procedures comprised group work and individual teachers' class work. Data sources included teachers' essays, field-notes, lesson recordings and group-work records. Data were qualitatively analysed. The main results indicate improvement of teachers' `transformed' knowledge of the subject matter, development/improvement of knowledge of instructional strategies, including factors related to quality of implementation of the activities, knowledge of the pupils and improvement of the teachers' efficacy.

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.

The Knowledge and Perceptions of Prospective Teachers and Speech Language Therapists in Collaborative Language and Literacy Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Leanne; McNeill, Brigid; Gillon, Gail T.

2015-01-01

Successful collaboration among speech and language therapists (SLTs) and teachers fosters the creation of communication friendly classrooms that maximize children's spoken and written language learning. However, these groups of professionals may have insufficient opportunity in their professional study to develop the shared knowledge, perceptions…

Beginning literacy: links among teacher knowledge, teacher practice, and student learning.

PubMed

McCutchen, Deborah; Abbott, Robert D; Green, Laura B; Beretvas, S Natasha; Cox, Susanne; Potter, Nina S; Quiroga, Teresa; Gray, Audra L

2002-01-01

Although the importance of phonological awareness has been discussed widely in the research literature, the concept is not well understood by many classroom teachers. In the study described here, we worked with groups of kindergarten and first-grade teachers (the experimental group) during a 2-week summer institute and throughout the school year. We shared with them research about learning disabilities and effective instruction, stressing the importance of explicit instruction in phonological and orthographic awareness. We followed the experimental group and a control group into their classrooms for a year, assessing teachers' classroom practices and their students' (n = 779) learning. The study yielded three major findings: We can deepen teachers' own knowledge of the role of phonological and orthographic information in literacy instruction; teachers can use that knowledge to change classroom practice; and changes in teacher knowledge and classroom practice can improve student learning.

Earthworks: Educating Teachers in Earth System Sciences

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spetzler, H.; Weaver, A.; Buhr, S.

2000-01-01

Earthworks is a national community of teachers and scientists. Initiated in 1998 with funding from NASA, our summer workshops in the Rocky Mountains each year provide unique opportunities for teachers to design and conduct field research projects, working closely with scientists. Teachers then develop plans for classroom implementation during the school year, sharing their ideas and experiences with other community members through e-mail and a listserv. Scientists, from graduate students to expert senior researchers, share their knowledge of field methods in environmental science, and learn how to better communicate and teach about their research.

Educative Mentoring: How a Mentor Supported a Preservice Biology Teacher's Pedagogical Content Knowledge Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnett, Ellen; Friedrichsen, Patricia J.

2015-11-01

Research suggests discipline-specific, educative mentoring can help preservice teachers develop more sophisticated pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). However, there are few studies examining the nature of mentors' practice and how mentors influence preservice teacher's (PST) PCK. The purpose of this case study was to describe the strategies used by a secondary biology mentor teacher to support the development of a PST's PCK. The primary data sources were the transcripts of audio-recorded, daily meetings between the mentor and the PST during two curriculum units: DNA/Protein Synthesis and Evolution. The mentor influenced the PST's teaching orientation by repeatedly comparing teacher- and student-centered approaches, asking him to consider how students learn, and asking him to self-assess whether his instruction aligned with his teaching beliefs. The mentor helped the PST develop topic-specific knowledge of instructional strategies by sharing strategies she used previously, modeling critical reflection, and inviting him to critically reflect on his own instructional strategies. Topic-specific knowledge of students' understanding of science was developed by discussing common student misconceptions revealed in students' conversations and by sharing the results of test-item analysis from previous unit tests. The mentor helped develop the PST's topic-specific knowledge of assessment by helping him critically analyze and revise previous examinations to better align with the current curriculum units. Topic-specific knowledge of curricula was developed by jointly grappling with decisions about concept sequencing within units. The study includes implications for research, science teacher education, and professional development for mentors.

Mathematical knowledge for teaching: Making the tacit more explicit in mathematics teacher education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdullah, Mohd Faizal Nizam Lee; Vimalanandan, Lena

2017-05-01

Teaching practice during school based experiences, afford an opportunity for pre service teachers to put into practice their knowledge for teaching mathematics. Like all knowledge, Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching (MKT) is held in both tacit and explicit form, making it especially difficult to study and map during instruction. This study investigates the tacit and explicit nature of MKT held by pre service teachers in a Malaysian Teacher Education Program and how it impacts the Mathematical Quality of their instruction (MQI). This study of three mathematics pre-service teachers (PSTs), utilised videos of mathematics lessons, reflective debriefs and interviews. The findings suggest that factors such as reflecting, peer-sharing, conferencing with mentors and observing support in making tacit knowledge more explicit during planning and instruction. Implications for preparation of mathematics teachers capable of high Mathematical Quality of Instruction are also discussed.

Readiness of Teachers for Change in Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kondakci, Yasar; Beycioglu, Kadir; Sincar, Mehmet; Ugurlu, Celal Teyyar

2017-01-01

Theorizing on the role of teacher attitudes in change effectiveness, this study examined the predictive value of context (trust), process (social interaction, participative management and knowledge sharing) and outcome (job satisfaction and workload perception) variables for cognitive, emotional and intentional readiness of teachers for change.…

Taking Teacher Learning to Scale: Sharing Knowledge and Spreading Ideas across Geographies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klein, Emily J.; Jaffe-Walter, Reva; Riordan, Megan

2016-01-01

This research reports data from case studies of three intermediary organizations facing the challenge of scaling up teacher learning. The turn of the century launched scaling-up efforts of all three intermediaries, growing from intimate groups, where founding teachers and staff were key supports for teacher learning, to large multistate…

Expanding Writing Opportunities for Elementary School Children and Assisting Teachers' Knowledge of the Writing Process.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brand, Wendy

A practicum was designed to place the teaching of writing as a high priority in an elementary school; allow children more opportunities to share their writing; and assist teachers in their knowledge of teaching writing, especially through the writing process. Children's writing was given high visibility through the use of monthly "young…

Records of Practice and the Development of Collective Professional Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ball, Deborah Loewenberg; Ben-Peretz, Miriam; Cohen, Rhonda B.

2014-01-01

Although recent years have seen an increase in professional learning communities, use of video and lesson study groups, most teachers still work and learn in isolation. What they know is personal and remains private; little opportunity exists for most teachers to develop shared knowledge or language. The scale of the teaching force, and the rapid…

Prekindergarten teachers' verbal references to print during classroom-based, large-group shared reading.

PubMed

Zucker, Tricia A; Justice, Laura M; Piasta, Shayne B

2009-10-01

The frequency with which adults reference print when reading with preschool-age children is associated with growth in children's print knowledge (e.g., L.M. Justice & H.K. Ezell, 2000, 2002). This study examined whether prekindergarten (pre-K) teachers naturally reference print during classroom shared reading and if verbal print references occur at similar rates across different types of books. The relation between frequency of print referencing and quality of teachers' language instruction was also studied. Seventeen pre-K teachers were randomly assigned to a regular reading condition as part of a larger study, and 92 videos of their large-group, shared-reading sessions were analyzed for print-referencing utterances and quality of language instruction. Teachers' verbal print references were compared across texts that were purposefully sampled to include different levels of print salience. Teachers discussed all domains of print studied; however, their rate of print referencing was relatively low. More verbal print references were observed when the teachers read books exhibiting higher amounts of print-salient features. When reading books, there was no apparent relation between teachers' use of print referencing and their quality of language instruction. It is unclear whether this low rate of explicit, verbal print referencing would impact children's print knowledge. Nonetheless, print-salient books appear to offer a natural context for discussions about print. Implications for educational practice are considered.

Preserving Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taintor, Spence

2008-01-01

Every year, teachers leave the profession and take valuable experience and knowledge with them. An increasing retirement rate makes schools vulnerable to a significant loss of knowledge. This article describes how implementing a knowledge management process will ensure that valuable assets are captured and shared. (Contains 3 online resources.)

Building Parent/Teacher Relations Through Written Communication.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henniger, Michael L.

Information about children's behavior in preschool and about the preschool program interests parents and provides them with useful information. Preschool teachers should make every effort to share their knowledge with parents whenever possible. How to communicate various types of information presents a major difficulty for teachers. Some…

Allowing the Voices of Parents To Help Shape Teaching and Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nicholson, Karen; Evans, Judith F.; Tellier-Robinson, Dora; Aviles, Leticia

2001-01-01

Three teachers describe how parents of deaf, severely disabled, and bilingual children participated in their children's learning. Qualitative research methods were used to help parents share their knowledge with teachers. (SK)

Border Crossing Knowledge Systems: A PNG Teacher's Autoethnography

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reta, Medi

2010-01-01

Narratives have always been integral to Indigenous knowledge transfer. In this autoethnography the author shares her border crossings between her Indigenous knowledge systems and the often dominant Western knowledge system. Pertinent to these experiences are the stark contrasts that exist between the two knowledge systems and their educational…

Smart Phones Permitted: How Teachers Use Text Messaging to Collaborate

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cosier, Meghan; Gomez, Audri; McKee, Aja; Maghzi, Kimiya Sohrab

2015-01-01

The use of smart phones by teachers in K-12 education has been contentious. Although teachers are often instructed to put their phones away during instruction, teachers and students can benefit in many ways from using smart phones in the classroom. The use of information systems such as a smart phone can support knowledge sharing and collaboration…

A Parallel Education: An Autoethnography of Ms. Robin and Mrs. Tillotson

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tillotson, Robin Philbeck

2012-01-01

As the mother of a first-year-teacher, I began thinking of ways in which to provide encouragement and support to my daughter and to other beginning teachers. I believe that successful teachers should not only share their knowledge and expertise with novice teachers, but also their struggles, their frustrations, and their methods of managing the…

Informal teacher communities enhancing the professional development of medical teachers: a qualitative study.

PubMed

van Lankveld, Thea; Schoonenboom, Judith; Kusurkar, Rashmi; Beishuizen, Jos; Croiset, Gerda; Volman, Monique

2016-04-14

Informal peer learning is a particularly powerful form of learning for medical teachers, although it does not always occur automatically in the departments of medical schools. In this article, the authors explore the role of teacher communities in enhancing informal peer learning among undergraduate medical teachers. Teacher communities are groups of teachers who voluntarily gather on a regular basis to develop and share knowledge. Outside of medical education, these informal teacher communities have proved to be an effective means of enhancing peer learning of academic teachers. The processes underlying this outcome are, however, not known. This study therefore aims to explore the processes that make informal teacher communities effective in supporting peer learning of teachers. A qualitative study was performed at a Dutch medical school, where a student-centred undergraduate curriculum had recently been introduced. As part of this curriculum, tutors are segregated into separate specialty areas and thus have only limited opportunities for informal learning with other tutors. The authors followed two informal teacher communities aimed at supporting these tutors. They observed the interactions within the teacher communities and held semi-structured interviews with ten of the participants. The observation notes and interview data were analysed using thematic analysis. The informal teacher communities allowed the tutors to engage in a dialogue with colleagues and share questions, solutions, and interpretations. The teacher communities also provided opportunities to explicate tacit expertise, which helped the tutors to develop an idea of their role and form a frame of reference for their own experiences. Furthermore, the communities enhanced the tutors' sense of belonging. The tutors felt more secure in their role and they felt valued by the organisation due to the teacher communities. This study shows that informal teacher communities not only support the professional development of tutors, but also validate and strengthen their identity as teachers. They seem to provide a dialogical space where informal intercollegiate learning is stimulated, stories are shared, tacit knowledge is made explicit, concerns are shared, and teacher identity is nurtured.

Engaging Teachers in Ed Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steans, Robin

2012-01-01

Teacher engagement is crucial to the success of education reforms. Not only can teachers serve as policymakers' eyes and ears on the ground, sharing firsthand knowledge of challenges in the classroom, but their advocacy can be instrumental to passing smart, sensible policies, and their buy-in can make or break reform implementation. Ongoing…

Joint Statement of California's College and University Presidents and Chancellors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teacher Education Quarterly, 2001

2001-01-01

California's colleges and universities must share responsibility for preparing teachers who are knowledgeable about what they teach and proficient in how and whom they teach. Teacher preparation programs must recruit and train highly qualified teachers and strategically address public school needs. Higher education leaders must promote better…

Learning Study: Helping Teachers to Use Theory, Develop Professionally, and Produce New Knowledge to Be Shared

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pang, Ming Fai; Ling, Lo Mun

2012-01-01

The lesson study approach is a systematic process for producing professional knowledge about teaching by teachers, and has spread rapidly and extensively in the United States. The learning study approach is essentially a kind of lesson study with an explicit learning theory--the variation theory of learning. In this paper, we argue that having an…

Brain Science and Teaching: A Forty-Year Personal History

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirby, Linda Faye

2016-01-01

This paper is the sharing of a record, the personal history of an educator pursuing an interest in knowledge of the brain. Over the years, this fascination sparked the idea to create a course for teachers based on brain science, with a twist. Certain course assignments would require teachers to interpret knowledge of the brain in the context of…

Collaborative 3D Learning Games for Future Learning: Teachers' Instructional Practices to Enhance Shared Knowledge Construction among Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hämäläinen, Raija; Oksanen, Kimmo

2014-01-01

Collaborative games will enable new kinds of possibilities for learning. In the future, the goal of game-based learning should be to introduce new ideas and deepen learners' in-depth understanding. However, studies have shown that shared high-level knowledge construction is a challenging process. Moreover, thus far, few empirical studies have…

How Pictorial Knowledge Representations Mediate Collaborative Knowledge Construction in Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naykki, Piia; Jarvela, Sanna

2008-01-01

This study investigates the process of collaborative knowledge construction when technology and pictorial knowledge representations are used for visualizing individual and groups' shared ideas. The focus of the study is on how teacher-students contribute to the group's collaborative knowledge construction and use each other's ideas and tools as an…

Shared Teaching Culture in Different Forms: A Comparison of Expert and Novice Teachers' Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arani, Mohammad Reza Sarkar

2017-01-01

This study aims to reveal the teaching script and structure of lesson practice of two seventh-grade Japanese mathematics teachers--a "novice" and "expert"--through comparative analysis of mathematics lessons. Specifically, it aims to clarify how the teachers' views of teaching as tacit knowledge determine lesson structure and…

Encouraging Teachers' and Students' Innovation with the Support of Teacher Learning Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Margalef García, Leonor

2011-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to share knowledge generated through the implementation of "Teaching Innovation Teams" as a strategy for teachers' professional development and innovation at the University of Alcala (Spain). We analyse the contributions of this strategy to the facilitation of curriculum innovation in higher education and…

Examining the Relationship between Elementary Teachers' Science Self-Efficacy and Science Content Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wimsatt, Mary Jo

2012-01-01

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education is currently commanding an ever-greater share of our national dialogue about education. Very few STEM initiatives focus on studies involving in-service teachers; most education research involves preservice teacher candidates. This researcher used a 54 question survey to examine in-service…

Student and Teacher Perceptions of Teacher Oral Communication Behavior in Algebra and Geometry Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Assuah, Charles K.

2010-01-01

Oral communication in mathematics classroom plays an essential role in the mathematics learning process, because it allows students to share ideas, refine their thoughts, reflect on their methods, and clarify their understanding (NCTM, 2000). Knowledge about teacher oral communication behaviors allows researchers and policy makers to identify and…

Reframing Research on Methods Courses to Inform Mathematics Teacher Educators' Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kastberg, Signe E.; Tyminski, Andrew M.; Sanchez, Wendy B.

2017-01-01

Calls have been made for the creation of a shared knowledge base in mathematics teacher education with the power to inform the design of scholarly inquiry and mathematics teacher educators' (MTEs) scholarly practices. Focusing on mathematics methods courses, we summarize and contribute to literature documenting activities MTEs use in mathematics…

A Qualitative Study on the Impact of Professional Learning Communities in an Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evans, Portia LaShan

2012-01-01

Educators are continuously confronted with initiatives to increase student achievement; however, teacher isolation may hinder advancements to improve student learning. Teacher isolation may be a problem at many schools in which student achievement is not progressing, and teachers are not sharing pedagogical knowledge or instructional practices.…

Assessing Teacher and Student Effects of the Research Goes to School Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kararo, Alex T.

2017-01-01

There have been calls by the Federal government and policymakers for improvements in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education through the development of excellent teachers with the content knowledge and skills to teach and motivate students. A shared goal among teacher professional development (PD) programs is to improve…

Teachers' Voices: Reinventing Themselves, Their Profession, and Their Communities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

D'Emidio-Caston, Marianne; And Others

This collection of four case studies discusses the work of teachers and their efforts to change their classrooms, schools, and districts. The case studies show that teachers can learn to use their own strengths and talents, knowledge, shared vision, and commitment to student growth and development to effect change. The first case study,…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Sedef Uzuner

2014-01-01

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

Using Knowledge Networks to Develop Preschoolers' Content Vocabulary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pollard-Durodola, Sharolyn D.; Gonzalez, Jorge E.; Simmons, Deborah C.; Davis, Matthew J.; Simmons, Leslie; Nava-Walichowski, Miranda

2012-01-01

Research shows that children accrue vocabulary knowledge by understanding relationships between new words and their connected concepts. This article describes three research-based principles that preschool teachers can use to design shared book reading lessons that accelerate content vocabulary knowledge by helping young children to talk about…

Examining Malaysian Teachers' Online Blogs for Reflective Practices: Towards Teacher Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nambiar, R. M. K.; Thang, S. M.

2016-01-01

Blogs are commonly used for online interaction because of their ease of use and access, which allow people to gather in a virtual space to share knowledge, experiences and practices. Teachers can also use blogs as an avenue to think, reflect and respond to views and comments regarding pedagogical practices and difficulties, thereby developing…

Teachers Implementing Mathematical Problem Posing in the Classroom: Challenges and Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leung, Shuk-kwan S.

2013-01-01

This paper reports a study about how a teacher educator shared knowledge with teachers when they worked together to implement mathematical problem posing (MPP) in the classroom. It includes feasible methods for getting practitioners to use research-based tasks aligned to the curriculum in order to encourage children to pose mathematical problems.…

Properties of Teacher Networks in Twitter: Are They Related to Community-Based Peer Production?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Macià, Maria; Garcia, Iolanda

2017-01-01

Teachers participate in social networking sites to share knowledge and collaborate with other teachers to create education-related content. In this study we selected several communities in order to better understand the networks that these participants establish in Twitter and the role that the social network plays in their activity within the…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

2016-01-01

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

The Efficacy and Impact of a Hybrid Professional Development Model on Handheld Graphing Technology Use

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ilaria, Daniel

2017-01-01

Online teacher professional development is becoming more prevalent as the ability to harness technology to bring teachers and resources together becomes easier. Research is needed, however, to determine the effectiveness of models and to share practices that increase teacher knowledge of content and pedagogy. This study examines how a hybrid…

Achieving Fluency: Special Education and Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fennell, Francis

2011-01-01

"Achieving Fluency" presents the understandings that all teachers need to play a role in the education of students who struggle: those with disabilities and those who simply lack essential foundational knowledge. This book serves teachers and supervisors by sharing increasingly intensive instructional interventions for struggling students on…

Enhancing Professional Learning Communities through Knowledge Artefacts in Mainland China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Qiao, Xuefeng; Yu, Shulin

2016-01-01

This qualitative case study examines the perspectives and experiences of seven Chinese primary teachers on the integration of shared knowledge artefacts into teaching in professional learning communities. The analysis of the semi-structured interviews and observation data revealed that using knowledge artefacts, such as preview sheets, flowing…

Preparing Science Teachers for Culturally Diverse Students: Developing Cultural Literacy Through Cultural Immersion, Cultural Translators and Communities of Practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chinn, Pauline W. U.

2006-09-01

This three year study of P-12 professional development is grounded in sociocultural theories that hold that building knowledge and relationships among individuals from different cultural backgrounds entails joint activity toward common goals and cultural dialogues mediated by cultural translators. Sixty P-12 pre and in-service teachers in a year long interdisciplinary science curriculum course shared the goal of developing culturally relevant, standards-based science curricula for Native Hawai'ian students. Teachers and Native Hawai'ian instructors lived and worked together during a five day culture-science immersion in rural school and community sites and met several times at school, university, and community sites to build knowledge and share programs. Teachers were deeply moved by immersion experiences, learned to connect cultural understandings, e.g., a Hawai'ian sense of place and curriculum development, and highly valued collaborating with peers on curriculum development and implementation. The study finds that long term professional development providing situated learning through cultural immersion, cultural translators, and interdisciplinary instruction supports the establishment of communities of practice in which participants develop the cross-cultural knowledge and literacy needed for the development of locally relevant, place and standards-based curricula and pedagogy.

Rethinking Knowledge Management: Strategies for Enhancing District-Level Teacher and Leader Tacit Knowledge Sharing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edge, Karen

2013-01-01

Grounded within knowledge management (KM) theory and conceptions of tacit and explicit knowledge, this article draws on historical evidence from the Early Years Literacy Project (EYLP), a four-year instructional renewal strategy implemented across 100 schools in a large Canadian school district. The EYLP management approach included a series of…

Analysis of the Dynamics of the Sharing Knowledge between Cooperating Teacher and Teacher-in-Training: The Partners' Respective Roles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liliane, Portelance; Colette, Gervais

2009-01-01

Collaboration is becoming increasingly important in the realm of education (Novoa, 2004). For instance, as soon as training is undertaken, the future teacher must develop an ability to cooperate in a pedagogical context. However, in order to learn to make a relevant contribution to a teaching team's undertakings and to provide innovative…

Teaching and Learning Sport Education: A Self-Study Exploring the Experiences of a Teacher Educator and Pre-Service Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hordvik, Mats M.; MacPhail, Ann; Ronglan, Lars T.

2017-01-01

Purpose: In this study, we articulate and share our knowledge and understanding of teaching and learning Sport Education in physical education teacher education (PETE): (a) How did the PETE faculty member experience teaching about teaching Sport Education? and (b) How did the PSTs experience learning about teaching Sport Education? Method: One…

Assessment for Learning in International Contexts: Exploring Shared and Divergent Dimensions in Teacher Values and Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warwick, Paul; Shaw, Stuart; Johnson, Martin

2015-01-01

The Assessment for Learning in International Contexts (ALIC) project sought to extend knowledge around teachers' understandings of Assessment for Learning (AfL). Using a modified version of a survey item devised by James and Pedder for use with teachers in England, evidence was gathered about the assessment practices that were highly valued by…

NESTA Revolutionizing Teacher's Experiences at NSTA Conventions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ireton, F.

2002-05-01

National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) conventions are traditionally composed of short workshops, half or full day workshops, and lectures on science teaching or education research. Occasional science lectures such as the AGU lecture offer science content information. The National Earth Science Teachers Association (NESTA) will join the National Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT), American Geophysical Union (AGU), and the American Geological Institute (AGI) to bring teachers a suite of exciting and informative events at the (NSTA) 2002 convention. Events begin with a guided learning field trip to Mission Trails Regional Park and Torrey Pines State Reserve where Earth and space science teachers experience a model of constructivist leaning techniques. Most field trips are a "show and tell" experience, designed to transmit knowledge from the field trip leader to the field trip participants. In the "guided learning" environment, the leader serves as a facilitator, asking questions, guiding participants to discover concepts for themselves. Participants examine selected processes and features that constitute a constructivist experience in which knowledge acquired at any given location builds on knowledge brought to the site. Employing this strategy involves covering less breadth but greater depth, modeling the concept of "less is more." On Thursday NESTA will host two Share-a-thons. These are not what a person would think of as a traditional workshop where presenter makes a presentation then the participants work on an activity. They could be called the flea market of teaching ideas. Tables are set around the perimeter of a room where the presenters are stationed. Teachers move from table to table picking up information and watching short demonstrations. The Earth and Space Science Resource Day on Friday will focus on teachers needs. Starting with breakfast, teachers will hear from Soames Summerhays, Naturalist and President of Summerhays Films, about how he works science and education into the making of IMAXr films. After breakfast, NESTA and NAGT members team up for a joint Share-a-thon. Three AGU sponsored scientists discussing their research follow the Share-a-thon. These presentations are designed to provide teachers with up-to-date content information. A highlight of the day will be the NESTA rock raffle of over 100 specimens.

Harnessing Open Technologies to Promote Open Educational Knowledge Sharing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iiyoshi, Toru; Richardson, Cheryl; McGrath, Owen

2006-01-01

An oft-noted shortcoming of the research on teaching has been the meager description of teachers' knowledge and experience: their intellectual engagement with the subject matter they teach, their understanding of how to manage ideas in their teaching, or even their conceptions of how students develop knowledge of the subject matter taught. To…

Improving Low-Income Preschoolers' Word and World Knowledge: The Effects of Content-Rich Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neuman, Susan B.; Kaefer, Tanya; Pinkham, Ashley M.

2016-01-01

This study examined the efficacy of a shared book-reading approach to integrating literacy and science instruction. The purpose was to determine whether teaching science vocabulary using information text could improve low-income preschoolers' word knowledge, conceptual development, and content knowledge in the life sciences. Teachers in 17…

Job Migration: A Collaborative Effort

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wagoner, Cynthia L.

2012-01-01

Music teachers often change jobs several times during their careers. Reasons for job changes vary, but regardless, these changes bring a different set of challenges. Sharing knowledge and learning are part and parcel of collaboration. So what if, as education professionals, music teachers decided to collaborate during job migrations? For all music…

Teacher Blogs and Education Policy in a Publicly Private World: Filling the Gap between Policy and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greene, Kiersten

2017-01-01

K-12 teachers who write about their daily work on blogs and other social media platforms share local knowledge and wisdom from the immediate view of the classroom. These first-hand retellings of everyday classroom life offer a unique critique of educational policy from the teachers' perspective. Reporting on the analysis of 14 public-facing blogs…

Discovering, Supporting, and Promoting Young Children's Passions and Interests: One Teacher's Reflections.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferguson, Christine

2001-01-01

Describes the journey of one kindergarten teacher as she discovered, supported, and promoted the passions and interests of an at-risk kindergarten student, and shared in his joys of learning. Details an inquiry project about snakes, initiated by the student's knowledge about snakes, involving field trips, class discussion, learning centers, and…

Need of Digital-Age Literacy in Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nachimuthu, K.

2010-01-01

The amount of knowledge in the world has doubled in the past 10 years and is doubling every 12 months according to NCTE. Now technology increases conversation, sharing, and learning among and between students and teachers. Today's digital students think of information and communications technology (ICT) as something akin to oxygen: they expect it,…

The Potency of "READS" to Inform Students' Reading Ability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mohamed, Abdul Rashid; Eng, Lin Siew; Mohamed Ismail, Shaik Abdul Malik

2012-01-01

This paper shares an initiative conducted in Malaysia in terms of knowledge to gauge students' Reading Age and to inform teachers of their students' reading progress and learning. Ensuring teachers understand the needs of students' reading ability and preparing students to read and comprehend texts are the two most fundamental parallel tasks in…

"El Secreto de las Ninas": A Story of Two Homeless Girls and Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Seungyoun

2009-01-01

Through case-based pedagogy, this study provides preservice teachers the opportunities to develop a sense of the multicultural context and to acknowledge their knowledge about diversity. This study creates the chances for preservice teachers to share personal backgrounds and experiences with peers to help them develop open-minded attitudes and…

Networked Professional Learning: Relating the Formal and the Informal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vaessen, Matthieu; van den Beemt, Antoine; de Laat, Maarten

2014-01-01

The increasing complexity of the workplace environment requires teachers and professionals in general to tap into their social networks, inside and outside circles of direct colleagues and collaborators, for finding appropriate knowledge and expertise. This collective process of sharing and constructing knowledge can be considered "networked…

Pupils' Knowledge and Spoken Literary Response beyond Polite Meaningless Words: Studying Yeats's "Easter, 1916"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gordon, John

2016-01-01

This article presents research exploring the knowledge pupils bring to texts introduced to them for literary study, how they share knowledge through talk, and how it is elicited by the teacher in the course of an English lesson. It sets classroom discussion in a context where new examination requirements diminish the relevance of social, cultural…

Is It Personal? Teacher's Personality and the Principal's Role in Professional Learning Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benoliel, Pascale; Schechter, Chen

2017-01-01

Research results have provided evidence of the potential contribution that professional learning communities (PLCs) can make to enhance school outcomes. While numerous organizational and cultural aspects of schools have been recognized as key requirements for PLC success, researchers have noted that a teacher's ability to share knowledge in the…

Effectiveness of Case-Based Learning Instruction on Pre-Service Teachers' Chemistry Motivation and Attitudes toward Chemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Çam, Aylin; Geban, Ömer

2017-01-01

Background: The development of primary pre-service teachers' chemistry motivation and attitudes toward chemistry were examined in order to develop their science literacy using case-based learning. Students' ideas were emphasized, real-life situations were discussed, and students could share their ideas and knowledge with peers; as a result,…

The Writing on the Wall: Using a Facebook Group to Promote Student Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Bannon, Blanche; Britt, Virginia; Beard, Jeffrey

2014-01-01

This study examined the effectiveness of using a Facebook group to increase preservice teachers' knowledge when one was used as a forum to share, answer, and discuss content-related questions in a technology course required for all students seeking teacher licensure. Further, it examined the students' prior use of Facebook groups, how…

Mutuality in the Rhetoric and Composition Classroom. Studies in Writing & Rhetoric.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wallace, David L.; Ewald, Helen Rothschild

This book discusses the centrality of rhetoric in the academy, asserting the intimate connection between language and knowledge making and stressing the need for a change in the roles of teachers and students in today's classroom. The goal is mutuality, or sharing authority between teachers and students, and allowing everyone an equal voice. For…

Inter-professional education of prospective speech-language therapists and primary school teachers through shared professional practice placements.

PubMed

Wilson, Leanne; McNeill, Brigid; Gillon, Gail T

2017-07-01

Preliminary studies of inter-professional education (IPE) among student speech-language therapists (SLTs) and student teachers suggest that workshop-based applications are beneficial in preparing participants for elements of collaborative practice. Situating IPE within the students' professional practice placements may provide another useful avenue to develop attitudes, knowledge and skills for inter-professional collaboration. Research examining the impact of different approaches to IPE is required to advance our understanding of effective design and evaluation of such initiatives. To understand how student SLTs and student teachers develop competency for collaborative practice when co-working during professional practice placements to support children's speech and literacy development. A case study design was used to monitor the impact of the IPE. Student SLTs (n = 4) were paired with student teachers (n = 4) to participate in shared professional practice placements in junior school classrooms. An inductive thematic analysis of interviews conducted with participants after the IPE was employed to explore the development of competencies in collaborative practice. Change in inter-disciplinary knowledge and perceptions over the IPE was evaluated via survey to further explore the development of collaborative competencies. Integration of qualitative and quantitative findings suggested that participants began to develop four broad areas of collaborative competency: understanding of professional roles and expertise, communication skills to support shared decision-making, inter-dependency in supporting children's learning, and flexibility to implement alternative instructional practices. Interview analysis also revealed factors related to the facilitators and learning contexts that supported and/or limited the collaboration between participants. Shared placement experiences between student SLTs and student teachers may be an effective method for building participants' competencies in multiple aspects of collaborative practice. Active facilitation by both SLT and classroom teacher supervisors alongside careful consideration of learning contexts (e.g., classroom structure) will help to ensure that learning is maximized for prospective professionals. © 2016 Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

Formative Value of an Active Learning Strategy: Technology Based Think-Pair-Share in an EFL Writing Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demirci, Cavide; Düzenli, Halil

2017-01-01

Think-Pair-Share (TPS) activities in classrooms provide an opportunity for students to revise, practice and reproduce previously learned knowledge. Teachers also benefit from this active learning strategy by exploiting new learning materials, saving time by minimizing presentations and using it as a formative assessment tool. This article explores…

Developing Low-Income Preschoolers' Social Studies and Science Vocabulary Knowledge through Content-Focused Shared Book Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gonzalez, Jorge E.; Pollard-Durodola, Sharolyn; Simmons, Deborah C.; Taylor, Aaron B.; Davis, Matthew J.; Kim, Minjun; Simmons, Leslie

2011-01-01

This study evaluated the effects of integrating science and social studies vocabulary instruction into shared book reading with low-income preschool children. Twenty-one preschool teachers and 148 children from their classrooms were randomly assigned at the class level to either the Words of Oral Reading and Language Development (WORLD)…

Knowledge Producing, Its Management and Action and Action Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hadfield, Mark

2005-01-01

This article is based on a "think piece" produced as a resource for action researchers working within networks of schools. The original article considered the utility of key ideas within knowledge management to practitioner researchers attempting to share their research outcomes with other teachers in their network. This article, rather than…

Views of the Teachers of Social Studies and Administrators Relating Impediments of Organizational Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oztaskin, Ozlem Bektas; Kucukali, Ridvan

2011-01-01

Schools are the significant places where new information and skills are obtained and practised. There are some problems in the social and educational development of organizational activities learned at schools. Change, share and distribution of knowledge, transfer of knowledge to students, fruitful and effective use of organizational aims,…

Games for Learning: Which Template Generates Social Construction of Knowledge?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garcia, Francisco A.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to discover how three person teams use game templates (trivia, role-play, or scavenger hunt) to socially construct knowledge. The researcher designed an experimental Internet-based database to facilitate teams creating each game. Teams consisted of teachers, students, hobbyist, and business owners who shared similar…

Using Funds of Knowledge to Build Trust between a Teacher and Parents of Language-Delayed Preschoolers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gonzalez, Alissa Zoraida

2014-01-01

Preschool children with language delays often struggle to learn new concepts. Proven strategies such as modeling, prompting, reinforcing responses, direct teaching, and hands-on experience matter to young children with language delays. Also important are social interactions and shared experiences with more knowledgeable persons. Within a cultural…

Case Studies of Interactive Whole-Class Teaching in Primary Science: Communicative approach and pedagogic purposes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McMahon, Kendra

2012-07-01

By developing two case studies of expert teaching in action, this study aimed to develop knowledge of talk in whole-class teaching in UK primary science lessons and understand this in relation to both the teachers' interpretations and sociocultural theoretical frameworks. Lessons were observed and video-recorded and the teachers engaged in video-stimulated-reflective dialogue to capture participants' reflections upon their own pedagogic purposes and interactions in the classroom. The analytic framework was developed at three levels: sequence of lessons, lesson, and episode. For each episode, the 'communicative approach' and teaching purposes were recorded. Transcripts were developed for fine grain analysis of selected episodes and a quantitative analysis was undertaken of the use of communicative approaches. Findings exemplify how different communicative approaches were used by the case-study teachers for different pedagogical purposes at different points in the sequence of lessons, contributing to primary teachers' repertoire for planning and practice. The initial elicitation of children's ideas can be understood as pooling them to enhance multivoicedness and develop a shared resource for future dialogues. Whole-class talk can support univocality by rehearsing procedural knowledge and exploring the meanings of scientific terminology. Identifying salient features of phenomena in the context of the whole-class marks them as significant as shared knowledge but valuing other observations extends the multivoicedness of the discourse.

Using a Facebook Group as a Forum to Distribute, Answer and Discuss Content: Influence on Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Bannon, Blanche W.; Britt, Virginia G.; Beard, Jeffrey L.

2013-01-01

This study examined the effectiveness of using a Facebook group to increase preservice teachers' knowledge when one was used as a forum to share, answer, and discuss content-related questions in a technology course required for all students seeking teacher licensure. Further, it examined the students' prior use of Facebook groups, how the…

Pre-Service Teachers' Views of Children's and Adults' Play in Japan, Taiwan, and the USA

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Izumi-Taylor, Satomi; Ito, Yoko; Lin, Chia Hui; Lee, Yu-Yuan

2014-01-01

Teachers' perspectives of play differ widely because of social and cultural influences that can be seen in their values and beliefs about play in different countries. In a global community, sharing educators' knowledge of play and their perspectives of how to educate children through the use of play would be appropriate and complementary in…

Coherence of Pre-Service Physics Teachers' Views of the Relatedness of Physics Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nousiainen, Maija

2013-01-01

In physics teacher education, one of the recurrent themes is the importance of fostering the formation of organised and coherent knowledge structures, but a simple shared understanding of what coherence actually means and how it can be recognised, is not easily found. This study suggests an approach in which the coherence of students' views about…

Weaving Arctic Networks of Support and Engaged Accountability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warnick, W. K.

2003-12-01

This presentation will provide a preview of a new project which explores the potential of applying emerging educational research in conjunction with the latest polar research through a multifaceted approach designed to weave networks of support and engaged accountability between Arctic researchers, teachers, and learners. This presentation will outline how Sunwood's (2002) WoSEA educational model might be utilized to facilitate and study methods of engaging and supporting teachers and scientists in collaborative Arctic research and pedagogy. The model we are proposing employs action research methodology to provide educators and scientists the opportunity to engage in reflection on their own practice, and enhancement of their own practice through extensive connection and collaboration between education and scientific professionals, thus contributing to the cumulative development of a lifelong learning continuum. Our Weaving the Arctic project will amplify and enhance the voice, knowledge and expertise of Arctic researchers and teachers as each participant explores, shares, and showcases their experience, knowledge, and the products of their practice. Weaving thus holds great promise for addressing science education needs, particularly the critical needs surrounding enhancement and retention of STEM teachers in K-12 (especially rural) schools. This presentation will share the promise of our Weaving model.

A study of knowledge, attitude, and sensitivity about HIV/AIDS among school teachers in northwestern Himalayas.

PubMed

Ghosh, Shivnath; Chhabra, Rosy; Springer, Carolyn; Sharma, Sunil Kumar

2008-01-01

North India is considered a low knowledge and low prevalence setting according to the recent National AIDS Control Organization survey regarding HIV/AIDS. As more than one third of the population in India is young adults and adolescents, reaching and educating them is key for prevention programs and a healthier future. School systems provide an ideal situation to impart this awareness and reach adolescents and young adults. Logically, teachers are the ideal sources of imparting information. All schools are required to train some of their teachers in the national HIV/AIDS education training, and they in turn share this information and awareness with the adolescents in schools. However, not many teachers have the knowledge, appropriate attitude, and comfort level needed to impart this information to students. This paper will discuss results from our brief survey of teachers from public and the private schools in Himachal Pradesh in India that focused on the knowledge of HIV/AIDS, attitude toward people living with HIV/AIDS, and comfort in discussing these issues with students. A sample of 80 teachers (40 each from public and private schools) volunteered for the study. The findings revealed a significant difference between public and private school teachers in their knowledge level (t = 9.45, P < .001), their attitudes toward HIV/ AIDS (t = 16.77, P < .001), and their comfort level in discussing these issues (t = 12.65, P < .001). Implications of the study for teacher's training on HIV/AIDS and a proposed intervention are discussed.

Social Contracts for Writing: Negotiating Shared Understandings about Text in the Preschool Years

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rowe, Deborah Wells

2008-01-01

This article describes some of the foundational social contracts about written texts that two-year-olds and their teachers were negotiating in a U.S. preschool writing center. Social contracts are shared cultural knowledge that individuals draw on to produce and use written texts in culturally appropriate ways. Participants in this study were 18…

The Demands of Decentralization: Skills and Knowledge for Leaders in Restructured Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gok, Kubilay; Peterson, Kent D.; Warren, Valli D.

2005-01-01

One of the most visible and widespread of the current educational reforms is the attempt to decentralize authority to schools and to involve teachers and others in shared decision making. Often occurring together as site-based shared decision making (SBDM), this reform is turning out to be more difficult to implement than once thought. Few noted…

Assessing gains in teacher knowledge and confidence in a long-duration climate literacy initiative

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haine, D. B.; Kendall, L.; Yelton, S.

2013-12-01

Climate Literacy: Integrating Modeling & Technology Experiences (CLIMATE) in NC Classrooms, an interdisciplinary, global climate change program for NC high school science teachers is administered by UNC Chapel Hill's Institute for the Environment (IE) with funding from NASA's Innovations in Climate Education (NICE) Program. Currently in its third year, this year-long program serves 24 teaching fellows annually and combines hands-on climate science investigations with experiential learning in fragile ecosystem environments to achieve the following program goals: increased teacher knowledge of climate change science and predicted impacts; increased teacher knowledge of modeling and technology resources, with an emphasis on those provided by NASA; and increased teacher confidence in using technology to address climate change education. A mixed-methods evaluation approach that includes external evaluation is providing quantitative and qualitative data about the extent to which program goals are being achieved. With regard to increases in teacher knowledge, teachers often self-report an increase in knowledge as a result of a program activity; this session will describe our strategies for assessing actual gains in teacher knowledge which include pre- and post-collaborative concept mapping and pre- and post-open response questionnaires. For each evaluation approach utilized, the process of analyzing these qualitative data will be discussed and results shared. For example, a collaborative concept mapping activity for assessment of learning as a result of the summer institute was utilized to assess gains in content knowledge. Working in small groups, teachers were asked to identify key vocabulary terms and show their relationship to one another via a concept map to answer these questions: What is global climate change? What is/are the: evidence? mechanisms? causes? consequences? Concept maps were constructed at the beginning (pre) and again at the end (post) of the Summer Institute. Concept map analysis revealed that post-maps included more key terms/concepts on average than pre-concept maps and that 6-9 NEW terms were present on post-maps; these NEW terms were directly related to science content addressed during the summer institute. In an effort to assess knowledge gained as a result of participating in an experiential weekend retreat, a pre- and post-open response questionnaire focused on the spruce-fir forest, an ecosystem prominently featured during programming, was administered. Post-learning assessments revealed learning gains for 100% of participants, all of whom were able to provide responses that referenced specific content covered during the retreat. To demonstrate increased teacher confidence in using technology to support climate science instruction, teachers are asked to develop and pilot a lesson that integrates at least one NASA resource. In collaboration with an external evaluator, a rubric was developed to evaluate submitted lessons in an effort to assess progress at achieving this program goal. The process of developing this rubric as well as the results from this analysis will be shared along with the challenges and insights that have been revealed from analyzing submitted lessons.

Minding the Knowledge Gap: The Importance of Content in Student Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christodoulou, Daisy

2013-01-01

In this article, author Daisy Christodoulou, a former teacher in the United Kingdom, debunks the myth that teaching facts prevents understanding, and she explains why teaching content knowledge is part of the primary mission of education. Throughout this article, she tries to stress that she shares the aims of many of the people whose methods she…

The Collaboratory Notebook: A Networked Knowledge-Building Environment for Project Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Neill, D. Kevin; Gomez, Louis M.

The Collaboratory Notebook, developed as part of the Learning Through Collaborative Visualization Project (CoVis), is a networked, multimedia knowledge-building environment which has been designed to help students, teachers and scientists share inquiry over the boundaries of time and space. CoVis is an attempt to change the way that science is…

Leveraging the Relationship: Knowledge Processes in School-University Research Networks of Master's Programmes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cornelissen, Frank; Daly, Alan J.; Liou, Yi-Hwa; Van Swet, Jacqueline; Beijaard, Douwe; Bergen, Theo C. M.

2015-01-01

This study investigated the way developing, sharing and using of research-based knowledge occurred in the school-university research network of a master's programme for in-service teachers in the Netherlands. Over a 10-month period, a combination of quantitative and qualitative network data was collected. Data were analysed at three network…

Renewable energy education and industrial arts: linking knowledge producers with knowledge

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

Foley, R.L.

This study introduces renewable energy technology into the industrial arts programs in the State of New Hampshire by providing the following information for decision making: (1) a broad-based perspective on renewable energy technology; (2) the selection of an educational change model; (3) data from a needs analysis; (4) an initial screening of potential teacher-trainers. The Wolf-Welsh Linkage Model was selected as the knowledge production/utilization model for bridging the knowledge gap between renewable energy experts and industrial arts teachers. Ninety-six renewable energy experts were identified by a three-step peer nomination process (92% response rate). The experts stressed the conceptual foundations, economicmore » justifications, and the scientific and quantitative basics of renewable energy technology. The teachers focused on wood-burning technology, educational strategies, and the more popular alternative energy sources such as windpower, hydropower, photovoltaics, and biomass. The most emphatic contribution of the needs analysis was the experts' and teachers' shared perception that residential/commercial building design, retrofitting, and construction is the single most important practical, technical area for the application of renewable energy technology.« less

Nuclear Forensics for High School Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mader, Catherine; Doss, Heide; Plisch, Monica; Isola, Drew; Mirakovitz, Kathy

2011-04-01

We developed an education module on nuclear forensics, designed for high school science classrooms. The lessons include a mix of hands-on activities, computer simulations, and written exercises. Students are presented with realistic scenarios designed to develop their knowledge of nuclear science and its application to nuclear forensics. A two-day teacher workshop offered at Hope College attracted 20 teachers. They were loaned kits to implement activities with their students, and each teacher spent 3--7 days on the lessons. All who reported back said they would do it again and would share the lessons with colleagues. Many said that access to equipment and ready-made lessons enabled them to expand what they taught about nuclear science and introduce nuclear forensics. A few teachers invited guest speakers to their classroom, which provided an excellent opportunity to share career information with students. We acknowledge generous support from the Department of Homeland Security and the AIP Meggars Award.

Leading the Way: Students of Teacher Research Experiences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warburton, J.; Larson, A.; Fahnestock, J.

2017-12-01

Over the past decade, the PolarTREC (Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating) program, administered by the Arctic Research Consortium of the United States (ARCUS), has provided over 150 U.S. K-12 teachers the opportunity to work directly with scientists in the polar regions. As a Teacher Research Experiences (TRE), it has provided teachers with a unique professional development opportunity to increase their teacher content knowledge. From recent program evaluation data, there has been a statistically significant improvement in the teacher's self-assessed ability and confidence to increase a variety of scientific processes in their lessons. This is important, as a growing emphasis is in Next Generation Science Standards is not only increasing student achievement in science but the practice of science. In PolarTREC, we have witnessed numerous examples where the increased STEM content knowledge of the teachers has transferred to their students of teachers with more student initiated and student driven research projects. In this presentation, we will share examples of this success and showcase several student-led research projects that have not only demonstrated the practice of science but have also contributed to polar research.

Creating Diverse Classroom Literature Collections Using Rudine Sims Bishop's Conceptual Metaphors and Analytical Frameworks as Guides. Master Teacher

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moller, Karla J.

2016-01-01

For the author's final Master Teacher article, she wishes to pay tribute to a scholar whose work in the field of children's literature has inspired her for years. Throughout her long and distinguished career, Rudine Sims Bishop, professor emerita from The Ohio State University, has shared extensive knowledge and numerous insights on issues related…

Effectiveness of case-based learning instruction on pre-service teachers' chemistry motivation and attitudes toward chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Çam, Aylin; Geban, Ömer

2017-01-01

Background: The development of primary pre-service teachers' chemistry motivation and attitudes toward chemistry were examined in order to develop their science literacy using case-based learning. Students' ideas were emphasized, real-life situations were discussed, and students could share their ideas and knowledge with peers; as a result, students were active in the learning process.

Factors Affecting English as a Foreign Language Teachers' Participation in Online Communities of Practice: The Case of Webheads in Action

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bostancioglu, Ali

2016-01-01

An online community of practice (OCoP) is a group of people, who are brought together by a shared interest and with the aim of deepening their understanding of an area of knowledge through regular interactions facilitated by computer mediated communication (CMC) tools. An OCoP can potentially provides teachers with those elements of effective…

The Mediating Roles of Internal Context Variables in the Relationship between Distributed Leadership Perceptions and Continuous Change Behaviours of Public School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kondakci, Yasar; Zayim, Merve; Beycioglu, Kadir; Sincar, Mehmet; Ugurlu, Celal T

2016-01-01

This study aims at building a theoretical base for continuous change in education and using this base to test the mediating roles of two key contextual variables, knowledge sharing and trust, in the relationship between the distributed leadership perceptions and continuous change behaviours of teachers. Data were collected from 687 public school…

Strengthening Connections between Elementary Classroom Mathematics and Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Altieri, Jennifer L.

2009-01-01

Enjoyable literacy strategies help elementary teachers reinforce students' mathematics knowledge. This article shares a number of literacy strategies that can easily connect with mathematics. These strategies include word associations, multimeaning word cards, and games. (Contains 7 figures.)

GalileoMobile, sharing astronomy with students and teachers around the world

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benitez-Herrera, Sandra; Spinelli, Patricia F.

2016-10-01

GalileoMobile is a non-profit, itinerant, science outreach initiative that brings Astronomy closer to young people in areas with little or no access to outreach programs. We perform astronomy-related activities in schools and communities we visit and encourage follow-up activities through teacher training workshops and the donation of telescopes and other educational resources. GalileoMobile also extends its impact to a worldwide audience through deliverable products. Our work is shared worldwide through the production of documentaries, books and a wide range of Internet resources (OfficialWebsite - www.galileo-mobile.org - and Blog, Facebook page, Google+,Twitter, Youtube and Vimeo). GalileoMobile is an unprecedented initiative promoting science knowledge and the interaction beyond borders through Astronomy while raising awareness for the diversity of human cultures, conveying the message of ``unity under the same sky''. We take advantage of the local astronomical culture of the visited communities to establish a dialogue between different ways of understanding the world and to share different types of knowledge (historic, scientific, anthropological . . .), encouraging a process of mutual learning.

Professionals' and Parents' Shared Learning in Blended Learning Networks Related to Communication and Augmentative and Alternative Communication for People with Severe Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilder, Jenny; Magnusson, Lennart; Hanson, Elizabeth

2015-01-01

People with severe disabilities (SD) communicate in complex ways, and their teachers, parents and other involved professionals find it difficult to gain knowledge and share their experiences regarding the person with SD's communication methods. The purpose of this study is to contribute to our understanding of how parents and professionals share…

High School Teachers and Students Knowledge and Views about Climate Change, a Nice NASA Example

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bleicher, R. E.; Lambert, J. L.

2014-12-01

One factor for some Americans being confused about climate change is their lack of understanding its underlying science concepts (Somerville & Hassol, 2011). In spite of this, climate change has been under-emphasized in school curricula (Bardsley & Bardsley, 2007). This is an important challenge for science educators, especially given the increasing public awareness of climate change impacts in their everyday lives (NCADAC, 2013).One way to address this challenge is to involve teachers in professional learning projects with the expectation that their enhanced content and pedagogical knowledge about climate change will transfer into more effective instruction resulting in increased student learning. For teacher educators, this translates into providing vibrant professional learning activities that energize and engage science teachers to develop interesting lessons that stimulate their students to learn important science concepts and develop positive attitudes to science. This study examined content knowledge and views about climate change of 33 high school science teachers and their1050 students who participated in lessons developed in a NASA-funded professional learning project. The teachers participated in a seven-day climate change summer institute and received in-classroom follow-up support throughout the school year. Teacher data sources included a background survey (undergraduate majors, number of years teaching science), science teaching self-efficacy (STEBI-A) scores, Climate Science Inventory of Knowledge (CSIK), and Six-America's Views on Climate Change. Student data included journal entries, and pre-post measures using the CSIK and Six-Americas instruments. T-tests and ANOVA showed that both students and their teachers increased in climate science knowledge. Teachers' views about climate change were more aligned to climate scientists' views. Teachers also increased in their science teaching self-efficacy and those with higher self-efficacy demonstrated higher climate change science knowledge. In addition to these data, the professional learning model and examples of the hands-on activities utilized by teachers will be shared in this presentation. The Logic Model is included below to provide an overall picture of the project.

The Dynamics of Online Communities in the Activity Theory Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baran, Bahar; Cagiltay, Kursat

2010-01-01

The aim of this study is to reveal how well online communities of practice (oCoPs) help teachers share explicit knowledge and bring their tacit knowledge to the surface. An Internet based oCoP platform called "The Professional Development Circle" (The PDC) was developed for this study. The study was conducted in two phases: 1) a…

Joint Antarctic School Expedition - An International Collaboration for High School Students and Teachers on Antarctic Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Botella, J.; Warburton, J.; Bartholow, S.; Reed, L. F.

2014-12-01

The Joint Antarctic School Expedition (JASE) is an international collaboration program between high school students and teachers from the United States and Chile aimed at providing the skills required for establishing the scientific international collaborations that our globalized world demands, and to develop a new approach for science education. The National Antarctic Programs of Chile and the United States worked together on a pilot program that brought high school students and teachers from both countries to Punta Arenas, Chile, in February 2014. The goals of this project included strengthening the partnership between the two countries, and building relationships between future generations of scientists, while developing the students' awareness of global scientific issues and expanding their knowledge and interest in Antarctica and polar science. A big component of the project involved the sharing by students of the acquired knowledge and experiences with the general public. JASE is based on the successful Chilean Antarctic Science Fair developed by Chile´s Antarctic Research Institute. For 10 years, small groups of Chilean students, each mentored by a teacher, perform experimental or bibliographical Antarctic research. Winning teams are awarded an expedition to the Chilean research station on King George Island. In 2014, the Chileans invited US participation in this program in order to strengthen science ties for upcoming generations. On King George Island, students have hands-on experiences conducting experiments and learning about field research. While the total number of students directly involved in the program is relatively small, the sharing of the experience by students with the general public is a novel approach to science education. Research experiences for students, like JASE, are important as they influence new direction for students in science learning, science interest, and help increase science knowledge. We will share experiences with the planning of the pilot program as well as the expedition itself. We also share the results of the assessment report prepared by an independent party. Lastly, we will offer recommendations for initiating international science education collaborations. United States participation was funded by the NSF Division of Polar Programs.

Topic-Specific Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TSPCK) in Redox and Electrochemistry of Experienced Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Brien, Stephanie

Topic specific pedagogical content knowledge (TSPCK) is the basis by which knowledge of subject matter of a particular topic is conveyed to students. This includes students' prior knowledge, curricular saliency, what makes a topic easy or difficult to teach, representations, and teaching strategies. The goal of this study is to assess the pedagogical content knowledge of chemistry teachers in a professional learning community in the areas of redox and electrochemistry, as this has been regarded in previous literature as conceptually challenging for students to learn. By acquiring information regarding the PCK development of experienced chemistry teachers, the education and practice of all science teachers can be advanced. This study builds upon previous research that developed validated instruments to evaluate TSPCK. The research questions sought to determine which components of TSPCK were evidenced by the instructional design decisions teachers made, what shared patterns and trends were evident, and how TSPCK related to student learning outcomes. To answer the research questions subjects completed a background questionnaire, a TSPCK assessment, and interview tasks to elicit information about pedagogical decision making and processes that influenced student learning in their classrooms. The TSPCK exam and interview responses were coded to align with thematic constructs. To determine the effect of TSPCK on student learning gains, pre/post-assessment data on redox and electrochemistry were compared to teachers' TSPCK. The chemistry teachers displayed varying levels of TSPCK in redox and electrochemistry, as evidenced by their knowledge of student learning obstacles, curricular saliency, and teaching methodologies. There was evidence of experienced teachers lacking in certain areas of TSPCK, such as the ability to identify student misconceptions, suggesting the need for programmatic improvements in pre-service and in-service training to address the needs of current and future chemistry teachers. While the current educational system requires teachers to complete separate exams in pedagogy and content, this research provides a rationale for changing the means by which teachers are evaluated through the completion of TSPCK assessments. In-service teacher TSPCK training is limited yet desired by the teachers. To facilitate TSPCK development, new methods need to be explored to connect chemistry education research to practice.

Teacher change in implementing a research-developed representation construction pedagogy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hubber, Peter; Chittleborough, Gail

2016-05-01

The Representations in Learning Science (RiLS) project developed a representation construction approach to teaching and learning in science, which has successfully demonstrated enhanced student learning through sustained engagement with ideas, and enhancement of teachers' pedagogical knowledge and understandings of how knowledge in science is developed and communicated. The current Constructing Representations in Science Pedagogy (CRISP) project aims at wider scale implementation of the representation construction approach. This paper explores a range of issues that confronted four Year-8 teachers in implementing this research-developed approach, such as: preparedness of the teacher in terms of epistemological positioning and positioning as a learner, significant support for planning and modelling by the university expert, and a team ethos where teachers share ideas and plan jointly. The Year-8 teachers implemented a representation construction approach to the teaching of the topic of astronomy. The Interconnected Model of Teacher Growth (IMTG) (Clarke and Hollingworth, Teach. Educ., 18 (2001) 947) was used to analyse the teachers' experience in planning and delivering the teaching sequence. This model was found to be flexible in identifying the experiences of teachers in different situations and useful in identifying issues for implementation of a research-developed pedagogy.

Sharing the Light of Faith.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Hazel

1999-01-01

Presents the parish programs at the Prince of Peace Catholic Community in Plano, Texas and at the Holy Family Parish Community in Inverness, Illinois as examples of what can be accomplished when imaginative, inspired, and knowledgeable teachers take on family catechesis as their mission. (VWC)

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stein, Morton

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

Teachers' instructional goals for science practice: Identifying knowledge gaps using cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farrar, Cynthia Hamen

In AP Biology, the course goal, with respect to scientific acts and reasoning, has recently shifted toward a reform goal of science practice, where the goal is for students to have a scientific perspective that views science as a practice of a community rather than a body of knowledge. Given this recent shift, this study is interested in the gaps that may exist between an individual teacher's instructional goal and the goals of the AP Biology course. A Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) methodology and perspective is used to analyze four teachers' knowledge, practice, and learning. Teachers have content knowledge for teaching, a form of knowledge that is unique for teaching called specialized content knowledge. This specialized content knowledge (SCK) defines their instructional goals, the student outcomes they ultimately aim to achieve with their students. The study employs a cultural-historical continuum of scientific acts and reasoning, which represents the development of the AP Biology goal over time, to study gaps in their instructional goal. The study also analyzes the contradictions within their teaching practice and how teachers address those contradictions to shift their instructional practice and learn. The findings suggest that teachers have different interpretations of the AP Biology goals of science practice, placing their instructional goal at different points along the continuum. Based on the location of their instructional goal, different micro-communities of teachers exist along the continuum, comprised of teachers with a shared goal, language, and culture of their AP Biology teaching. The in-depth study of one teacher's AP Biology teaching, using a CHAT perspective, provides a means for studying the mechanisms that connect SCK to classroom actions and ultimately to instructional practice. CHAT also reveals the nature and importance of contradictions or cognitive dissonance in teacher learning and the types of support teachers need to recognize contradictions and to internalize and set their instructional goal, facilitating their learning. Without recognition of contradictions, some of these micro-communities are not aware that their instruction is not in line with the AP Biology goal of science practice. An in-depth look at teacher learning revealed the criticality of reflective practice and the need for an "expert" within a teacher's community to facilitate = learning and develop SCK to incorporate science practice in classroom instruction.

Toward Scholarship in Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singer-Gabella, Marcy

2012-01-01

Background/Context: Over the past decade, scholars of teaching and teacher education have concluded that the field lacks a common conceptual vocabulary to undergird systematic investigation of practice. Absent a shared language, we can neither articulate common questions nor establish common tools--essential elements for building knowledge and…

Improving the basic skills of teaching mathematics through learning with search-solve-create-share strategy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahayu, D. V.; Kusumah, Y. S.; Darhim

2018-05-01

This study examined to see the improvement of prospective teachers’ basic skills of teaching mathematics through search-solve-create-share learning strategy based on overall and Mathematical Prior Knowledge (MPK) and interaction of both. Quasi experiments with the design of this experimental-non-equivalent control group design involved 67 students at the mathematics program of STKIP Garut. The instrument used in this study included pre-test and post-test. The result of this study showed that: (1) The improvement and achievement of the basic skills of teaching mathematics of the prospective teachers who get the learning of search-solve-create-share strategy is better than the improvement and achievement of the prospective teachers who get the conventional learning as a whole and based on MPK; (2) There is no interaction between the learning used and MPK on improving and achieving basic skills of teaching mathematics.

Reflections: Improving Medical Students' Presentation Skills.

PubMed

Tarkowski, Radoslaw

2017-12-01

Both good communication and presentation skills on the part of an academic teacher are crucial when trying to generate students' interest in the subject of a lecture. More generally, our task is to share knowledge in the most effective way possible. It is also worth teaching students presentation skills, as today's students are tomorrow's teachers. An engaging presentation is a powerful tool. There are some rules for presenting which I consider worthy of being discussed and taught at a medical university.

Eight Ways to Do Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meyer, Daniel Z.; Kubarek-Sandor, Joy; Kedvesh, James; Heitzman, Cheryl; Pan, Yaozhen; Faik, Sima

2012-01-01

Creating inquiry activities is inherently difficult. Asking meaningful questions requires both background knowledge on the part of the students and complexity on the part of the phenomena. Yet numerous strategies can help teachers conduct inquiry activities. In this article, the authors share a taxonomy of teaching strategies used to create…

Constructing Virtual Worlds: Tracing the Historical Development of Learner Practices.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barab, Sasha A.; Hay, Kenneth E.; Barnett, Michael; Squire, Kurt

2001-01-01

Explored learning and instruction within a technology-rich, collaborative, participatory learning environment by tracking the emergence of shared understanding and products through student and teacher practices. Found that becoming knowledgeably skillful with respect to a particular practice or concept is a multigenerational process, evolving in…

Principals Who Dare to Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Place, A. William

2011-01-01

In this inspirational book, veteran teacher and school leader Will Place shares the importance of caring about others. He explains the concepts that are vital to a successful principalship: leadership, management, knowledge and accountability, and caring. Drawing on personal experience and detailed examples, Place conveys the very human need for…

Modeling Teacher Professional Development Through a Telescope Making Workshop

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2010-08-01

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

A professional learning community model: a case study of primary teachers community in west Bandung

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sari, A.; Suryadi, D.; Syaodih, E.

2018-05-01

The purpose of this study is to provide an alternative model of professional learning community for primary school teachers in improving the knowledge and professional skills. This study is a qualitative research with case study method with data collection is an interview, observation and document and triangulation technique for validation data that focuses on thirteen people 5th grade elementary school teacher. The results showed that by joining a professional learning community, teachers can share both experience and knowledge to other colleagues so that they can be able to continue to improve and enhance the quality of their learning. This happens because of the reflection done together before, during and after the learning activities. It was also revealed that by learning in a professional learning community, teachers can learn in their own way, according to need, and can collaborate with their colleagues in improving the effectiveness of learning. Based on the implementation of professional learning community primary school teachers can be concluded that teachers can develop the curriculum, the students understand the development, overcome learning difficulties faced by students and can make learning design more effective and efficient.

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.

Beginning science teachers' strategies for communicating with families

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bloom, Nena E.

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

Teaching Method

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Niculescu, Carmen-Mihaela

2016-01-01

The human being started as a self-educated person, this way managing to improve his living. For his descendants to avoid failures, he started to share his ancestors' experience. When some people's knowledge acquirement became big, they were called the sages, and among of them became eventually teachers, that took the role of transmitting the…

Practical Epistemologies in Physical Education Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quennerstedt, Mikael

2013-01-01

With a point of departure in a transactional understanding of epistemology, the purpose of this paper is to explore practical epistemologies in physical education (PE) by investigating how knowledge is produced and reproduced in students' and teachers' actions in PE practices posted as clips on the user-generated video-sharing website…

Safety First: Preventing Allergic Reactions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roy, Ken

2015-01-01

All elementary teachers should be aware of their students' allergies especially when they are planning to use plants or animals in the classroom or interacting with them in the field. This knowledge is essential because allergy symptoms can range from an itchy rash to anaphylactic shock. This column shares safety information for the science…

Analyzing Online Behaviors, Roles, and Learning Communities via Online Discussions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yeh, Yu-Chu

2010-01-01

Online learning communities are an important means of sharing and creating knowledge. Online behaviors and online roles can reveal how online learning communities function. However, no study has elucidated the relationships among online behaviors, online roles, and online learning communities. In this study, 32 preservice teachers participated in…

Mental Health Issues and Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeLoach, Kendra P.; Dvorsky, Melissa; Miller, Elaine; Paget, Michael

2012-01-01

Students with emotional and behavioral challenges are significantly impacted by mental health issues. Teachers and other school staff need mental health knowledge to work more effectively with these students. Collaboration with mental health professionals and sharing of information is essential. [For complete volume, see ED539318.

Going Green: Empowering Readers to Change the Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Napoli, Mary

2011-01-01

Educators have a shared responsibility to encourage youth to take positive action that can have an environmental impact both locally and globally. The North American Association for Environmental Education ([NAAEE] 2004) has stressed the importance of increasing environmental knowledge among teachers, by participating in in-service programs or…

Sharing the Street: Activities for All Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kolucki, Barbara; And Others

Written for teachers and parents with little or no knowledge of special education, the book provides information on games and activities to help integrate young children with hearing or visual impairments, mental retardation, and other physical and learning disabilities. Each activity includes statements of the purpose, goals, materials, and…

A Case Study of a School-Based Curriculum Development as a Model for INSET.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keiny, Shoshana; Weiss, Tzila

1986-01-01

Using a school-based curriculum development approach, the Israeli Environmental Education Project constructed a conceptual model for environmental education curriculum development. A team of teachers sharing knowledge developed a case study about water regulation and its consequences in a desert environment, which is described. (MT)

Professional Development in a Reform Context: Understanding the Design and Enactment of Learning Experiences Created by Teacher Leaders for Science Educators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shafer, Laura

Teacher in-service learning about education reforms like NGSS often begin with professional development (PD) as a foundational component (Supovitz & Turner, 2000). Teacher Leaders, who are early implementers of education reform, are positioned to play a contributing role to the design of PD. As early implementers of reforms, Teacher Leaders are responsible for interpreting the purposes of reform, enacting reforms with fidelity to meet those intended goals, and are positioned to share their expertise with others. However, Teacher Leader knowledge is rarely accessed as a resource for the design of professional development programs. This study is unique in that I analyze the knowledge Teacher Leaders, who are positioned as developers of PD, bring to the design of PD around science education reform. I use the extended interconnected model of professional growth (Clarke & Hollingsworth, 2002; Coenders & Terlouw, 2015) to analyze the knowledge pathways Teacher Leaders' access as PD developers. I found that Teacher Leaders accessed knowledge pathways that cycled through their personal domain, domain of practice and domain of consequence. Additionally the findings indicated when Teacher Leaders did not have access to these knowledge domains they were unwilling to continue with PD design. These findings point to how Teacher Leaders prioritize their classroom experience to ground PD design and use their perceptions of student learning outcomes as an indicator of the success of the reform. Because professional development (PD) is viewed as an important resource for influencing teachers' knowledge and beliefs around the implementation of education reform efforts (Garet, et al., 2001; Suppovitz & Turner, 2000), I offer that Teacher Leaders, who are early implementers of reform measures, can contribute to the professional development system. The second part of this dissertation documents the instantiation of the knowledge of Teacher Leaders, who are positioned as designers and facilitators of PD. I examine the extent to which Teacher Leader knowledge is instantiated into specific resources and tasks during PD specifically for the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). The findings indicate that Teacher Leaders' knowledge is instantiated in tasks that promote and facilitate alignment of Teacher Leader goals for NGSS science practices-based instruction, which are framed around student learning outcomes. I offer a number of ways in which these findings can help educators and PD developers to better structure activities that present an alternative vision for science education that also provides the needed resources to shape how classroom tasks are designed and managed in ways that attend to and build on the practical knowledge of Teacher Leaders. The third part of this dissertation addresses the role Teacher Leaders play in this reform context with respect to their contributions to the professional development system. Based on the analyses of the Teacher Leaders in this study, I claim Teacher Leaders are essential contributors to the professional development system that extends beyond their typical role of participant. I argue that Teacher Leaders bring special expertise to the role of designers and facilitators of PD programs, and to the role of ambassadors for professional learning communities in a reform context. Because Teacher Leaders have a broader influence on the professional development system as pictured here, the Teacher Leaders in this study represent an essential piece of the reform puzzle.

Educating to the seismic risk with the community of learners

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miranda, Nicola

2013-04-01

The web has a lot of information available for teachers about seismology both at informal and at a scientific level. The average student, who approaches the study of seismology for the first time, lacks direct involvement in the study and it often happens that the simple informal knowledge does not result in learning and formalization. The teacher who wants to use web resources for the didactics, finds it is difficult to select information and adapt it to the school level, because of the short weekly time reserved for earth science studies. The seismologist, who gives a lecture in the school, has difficulty to understand how much of the knowledge transmitted will pass to the students. A way to solve these problems is to adopt the Community of Learners' method, creating groups of different-aged students directly involved in research activities and in the production of learning material, using websites organized for web research, production and sharing of ideas, as Jigsaw methodology suggests. The poster shown documents the experience I had with a group of students (aged from 14 to 18) in an Italian high school in Somma Vesuviana, near Naples. The method adopted is adaptable to any kind of technical-scientific issue. In this case seismology was the topic of the work group and thanks to the Community of Learners' method, all the students: -Started as apprentices, learning new things, questioning their knowledge, accessing new sources, using different channels and means of communication and debating with the others; -Moved to the role of teachers, sharing their own knowledge with the others, and explaining their own discoveries; -Became scientists specialized in something unknown to the other students, producers of new and original ideas to explain to the others who had different opinions and ideas. Thanks to the Community of Learners, they all became apprentices, teachers and scientists.

SoTRE's Speak Up: Students Share the Benefits of Teacher Researcher Experiences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eubanks, E.; Allen, S.; Farmer, S.; Jones, K.

2016-12-01

Being Students of Teacher Researcher Experiences (SoTRE) gives students special advantages that most students do not get. Teachers Elizabeth Eubanks and Steve Allen share their knowledge gained via partnerships with Teacher Researcher Experiences (TRE's) such as the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration Teacher at Sea program (NOAA- TAS), Polar TREC (Teachers and Researchers & Exploring & Collaboration), National Science Foundation (NSF) funded researchers, (EARTH) Education and Research: Testing Hypothesis, the RJ Dunlap Marine Conservation Program, C-DEBI (Center for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigations and (STARS) Sending Teachers Aboard Research Ships, The Maury Project and Mate. Students gain special privileges such as understanding unique research ideas, tracking tagged sharks, following daily journals written on location, taking part in cross-continental experiments, tracking real time data, exploring current research via posters or visiting universities. Furthermore, contacts made by a TRE give students an added set of resources. When doing experiments for class or advancing their education or career goals Eubanks and Allen help students connect with scientists. Many students have felt so strongly about the TRE relationship that they have presented at several local and international science conferences. Their message is to encourage scientists to partner with teachers. The benefits of participation in such conferences have included abstract writing and submission, travel, poster creation, oral presentation, networking and personal research presentation, all tools that they will carry with them for a lifetime.

Knowledge management through the e-learning approach - a case study of online engineering courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aichouni, Mohamed; Benchicou, Soraya; Nehari, Dris

2013-06-01

Though it is universally accepted that the face-to-face approach is the best way for education and training, however, with the advent of the information and communication technologies (mainly the World Wide Web) it became possible to enhance further the methods we are using to teach our students and to share the teaching material within a broaden engineering, technical and business communities. This paper is dedicated to making a review of the basic concepts of knowledge management and e-learning and to show how these two modern concepts can be integrated into engineering education to produce knowledge, disseminate it and share it within virtual interest groups and networks of engineering students, academic teachers and industrial engineers and technicians and business managers. A practical case study will be presented and discussed.

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.

Bioinformatics Goes to School—New Avenues for Teaching Contemporary Biology

PubMed Central

Wood, Louisa; Gebhardt, Philipp

2013-01-01

Since 2010, the European Molecular Biology Laboratory's (EMBL) Heidelberg laboratory and the European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI) have jointly run bioinformatics training courses developed specifically for secondary school science teachers within Europe and EMBL member states. These courses focus on introducing bioinformatics, databases, and data-intensive biology, allowing participants to explore resources and providing classroom-ready materials to support them in sharing this new knowledge with their students. In this article, we chart our progress made in creating and running three bioinformatics training courses, including how the course resources are received by participants and how these, and bioinformatics in general, are subsequently used in the classroom. We assess the strengths and challenges of our approach, and share what we have learned through our interactions with European science teachers. PMID:23785266

Stepping outside My Technology Classroom Box (My Summer RET Experience)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Terry

2008-01-01

In this article, the author shares his summer RET (Research Experience for Teachers) experience. The author describes how his anxiety turned to excitement and anticipation upon entering the college campus in search of new knowledge. He discovered that working side by side with experts in a research facility was so much fun.

Teacher and Student Reflections on ICT-Rich Science Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, P. John; Otrel-Cass, Kathrin

2017-01-01

Background: Inquiry learning in science provides authentic and relevant contexts in which students can create knowledge to solve problems, make decisions and find solutions to issues in today's world. The use of electronic networks can facilitate this interaction, dialogue and sharing, and adds a new dimension to classroom pedagogy. Purpose: This…

Using Animation and Interactivity To Enrich Reading and Writing Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gladhart, Marsha A.

In the hands of inspired teachers, computers can provide opportunities for creativity and interaction that add new excitement to learning. PowerPoint and HyperStudio are just two examples of computer software that are frequently used by students to share knowledge and develop communication skills using multimedia. Publishing their work with the…

Using Science Journals to Encourage All Students to Write

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fingon, Joan C.; Fingon, Shallon D.

2008-01-01

It seems that everyone is using science journals or notebooks lately. As middle school science teachers, the authors use science journals as a tool to enhance students' knowledge and understanding of content and reinforce students' writing skills. Here they share how they use science journals to motivate students to write about science in middle…

Why KIPP Is Not Corporate: KIPP and Social Justice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maranto, Robert; Ritter, Gary

2014-01-01

Critics see the Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP), a network of 141 charter schools, as part of the corporate based school reform movement (e.g., Horn, 2011; Grey, 2011), a view shared by many traditional public school educators. So-called corporate based school reform strategies allegedly exploit students and teachers, employ very narrow metrics…

"Lesson Study" as Professional Culture in Japanese Schools: An Historical Perspective on Elementary Classroom Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arani, Mohammad Reza Sarkar; Keisuke, Fukaya; Lassegard, James P.

2010-01-01

This research examines "lesson study" as a traditional model of creating professional knowledge in schools. "Lesson study," typically defined as teachers' classroom based collaborative research, has a long history in Japan as a shared professional culture with potential for enhancing learning, enriching classroom activities and…

Scaffolding Teachers Integrate Social Media into a Problem-Based Learning Approach?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buus, Lillian

2012-01-01

At Aalborg University (AAU) we are known to work with problem-based learning (PBL) in a particular way designated "The Aalborg PBL model." In PBL the focus is on participant control, knowledge sharing, collaboration among participants, which makes it interesting to consider the integration of social media in the learning that takes…

WritersCorps: A Look under the Hood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tannenbaum, Judith

2008-01-01

This article takes a look at WritersCorps, a program that aims to provide opportunities for youth to discover, develop, and share their writing. The program's success depends on contracting with teaching artists who have the skills, knowledge, and heart to encourage youth to write well. All its teachers are published writers, active community…

A FAQ-Based e-Learning Environment to Support Japanese Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Yuqin; Yin, Chengjiu; Ogata, Hiroaki; Qiao, Guojun; Yano, Yoneo

2011-01-01

In traditional classes, having many questions from learners is important because these questions indicate difficult points for learners and for teachers. This paper proposes a FAQ-based e-Learning environment to support Japanese language learning that focuses on learner questions. This knowledge sharing system enables learners to interact and…

Getting inside the Insider Researcher: Does Race-Symmetry Help or Hinder Research?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vass, Greg

2017-01-01

This article engages with methodological concerns connected to insider education research and the "race-symmetry" shared between the researcher and teacher participants. To do this, race critical reflexive strategies are utilized to show how and why this practice productively contributed to the knowledge about race making constructed in…

Engaging Students in Learning Science through Promoting Creative Reasoning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waldrip, Bruce; Prain, Vaughan

2017-01-01

Student engagement in learning science is both a desirable goal and a long-standing teacher challenge. Moving beyond engagement understood as transient topic interest, we argue that cognitive engagement entails sustained interaction in the processes of how knowledge claims are generated, judged, and shared in this subject. In this paper, we…

My Classroom: Ethiopia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jellick, Matthew

2015-01-01

This article describes the teaching experiences of Dawit Negeri, a teacher in the English Department at Ambo University for the past five years. With a bachelor's degree in English and a master's degree in Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Mr. Negeri is familiar with the subject, using his knowledge to share with students the importance of…

IPY STEM Polar Connections Links Teachers with the Global Relevance of the High Latitudes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brigham-Grette, J.; Sternheim, M.; Bradley, R.; Caissie, B.; Snyder, R.; Devlin, K.; Silver, M.; Hargraves, H.

2008-12-01

IPY STEM Polar Connections is a curriculum development and professional development program involving a summer residential institute at UMass-Amherst and academic year, on-line communication for teachers involved in the professional development of colleagues. The project produces and disseminates a range of curriculum modules related to the Polar regions and climate change. The purpose of the summer institutes (2008 and 2009) is to test the modules and prepare teachers to disseminate selected materials in workshops in their districts, in their states and nationally. The institute agenda balanced content presentations with hands-on activities for use by teachers with diverse backgrounds and classroom settings. Power point presentations and accompanying flash videos are all posted on our website along with teacher guides and student handouts. Most of the materials were designed to be adaptable to a range of inquiry-based levels. The teachers shared their own experiences with dissemination in rounds of focus groups. Pre institute and post institute surveys confirmed our success in increasing the personal knowledge base of the teachers despite the fact that most were veteran teachers. The main outcomes of participation were the development of relationships with other teachers, enhanced knowledge of earth system science and inspiration for introducing the materials to their students. Many did see funding, time and state frameworks as potential barriers to including materials in their classrooms.

Teacher Characteristics and School-Based Professional Development in Inclusive STEM-focused High Schools: A Cross-case Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spillane, Nancy Kay

Within successful Inclusive Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)-focused High Schools (ISHSs), it is not only the students who are learning. Teachers, with diverse backgrounds, training, and experience, share and develop their knowledge through rich, embedded professional development to continuously shape their craft, improve their teaching, and support student success. This study of four exemplars of ISHSs (identified by experts in STEM education as highly successful in preparing students underrepresented in STEM for STEM majors in college and future STEM careers) provides a rich description of the relationships among the characteristics of STEM teachers, their professional development, and the school cultures that allow teachers to develop professionally and serve the needs of students. By providing a framework for the development of teaching staffs in ISHSs and contributing to the better understanding of STEM teaching in any school, this study offers valuable insight, implications, and information for states and school districts as they begin planning improvements to STEM education programs. A thorough examination of an existing data set that included site visits to four ISHSs along with pre- and post-visit data, provided the resource for this multiple case study with cross-case analysis of the teachers and their teacher professional development experiences. Administrators in these ISHSs had the autonomy to hire teachers with strong content backgrounds, philosophical alignment with the school missions, and a willingness to work collaboratively toward achieving the schools' goals. Ongoing teacher professional development began before school started and continued throughout the school day and year through intense and sustained, formal and informal, active learning experiences. Flexible professional development systems varied, but aligned with targeted school reforms and teacher and student needs. Importantly, collaborative teacher learning occurred within a school-wide culture of collaboration. Teachers were guided in establishing open lines of communication that supported regular engagement with others and the free flow of ideas, practices, and concerns. As a result of this collaboration, in conjunction with intentional pathways to teacher leadership, teacher professionalization was deliberately and successfully fostered creating an environment of shared mission and mutual trust, and a shared sense of responsibility for school-wide decision-making and school outcomes.

Confidence and Loose Opportunism in the Science Classroom: Towards a pedagogy of investigative science for beginning teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McNally, Jim

2006-03-01

This paper attempts to establish a conceptual basis on which beginning teachers may be introduced to investigative science teaching in a way that accommodates the teacher voice. It draws mainly on preliminary theory from the shared reflections of 20 science teachers, augmented by a more general interview-based study of the experience of early professional learning of 18 new teachers. Internationally, it is situated in the wider concern in the literature with the nature of science, mainly in initial teacher education. Empirically located within the Scottish context, a grounded epistemological base of teacher knowledge is illustrated and presented as components of confidence in a cycle of professional learning that needs to be set in motion during initial teacher education. It is proposed that, given protected experience in their early attempts to teach investigatively, new teachers can begin to develop a confident pedagogy of loose opportunism that comes close to authentic science for the children they teach.

Teacher Knowledge for Active-Learning Instruction: Expert-Novice Comparison Reveals Differences.

PubMed

Auerbach, A J; Higgins, M; Brickman, P; Andrews, T C

2018-01-01

Active-learning strategies can improve science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) undergraduates' abilities to learn fundamental concepts and skills. However, the results instructors achieve vary substantially. One explanation for this is that instructors commonly implement active learning differently than intended. An important factor affecting how instructors implement active learning is knowledge of teaching and learning. We aimed to discover knowledge that is important to effective active learning in large undergraduate courses. We developed a lesson-analysis instrument to elicit teacher knowledge, drawing on the theoretical construct of teacher noticing. We compared the knowledge used by expert ( n = 14) and novice ( n = 29) active-learning instructors as they analyzed lessons. Experts and novices differed in what they noticed, with experts more commonly considering how instructors hold students accountable, topic-specific student difficulties, whether the instructor elicited and responded to student thinking, and opportunities students had to generate their own ideas and work. Experts were also better able to support their lesson analyses with reasoning. This work provides foundational knowledge for the future design of preparation and support for instructors adopting active learning. Improving teacher knowledge will improve the implementation of active learning, which will be necessary to widely realize the potential benefits of active learning in undergraduate STEM. © 2018 A. J. Auerbach et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2018 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Embrace Your Inner Nerd

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnes, Peter

2006-01-01

In this article, the author presents a quiz to identify whether or not a person is a nerd. He also offers a new definition for nerd: "A person who is excited about learning and who thinks that sharing knowledge is cool." A nerdy teacher loves when students bring in articles from the newspaper about the upcoming meteor shower or the new movie about…

Word Travelers: Using Digital Tools to Explore Vocabulary and Develop Independent Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tysseling, Lee Ann

2012-01-01

The Internet is full of tools for vocabulary development, but the quality and usefulness for teachers and students vary greatly. With a traditionalist's respect for word knowledge and an adventurer's spirit for discovering new routes to learning, Lee Ann Tysseling shares an exciting array of technology-assisted resources that can boost students'…

Learning among Critical Friends in the Instrumental Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferm Thorgersen, Cecilia

2014-01-01

The article is based on a phenomenological way of thinking about knowledge and learning and will treat the concepts of response and critical friends as ways of sharing experience in higher music education. The problem area I want to illuminate is how teachers, who educate musicians, can use and facilitate development of their students' skills…

Lifelines for High School Climate Change Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gould, A. D.

2012-12-01

The Lifelines project aims to establish a network of practicing high school teachers actively using climate change curricula by creating professional learning communities (PLCs) of teachers who, through remote meetings and workshops, maintain ongoing communication and sharing of best practices among colleagues to strengthen knowledge and promote effective teaching strategies. The project explores techniques to achieve the most effective teleconferencing meetings and workshops. This promotes not only teaching about minimizing environmental impacts of human activity, but minimizes environmental impacts of professional development — practicing what we preach. To date, Lifelines PLCs have set up websites and e-mail lists for sharing information. Teleconferences and webinars have been held using services such as Skype, ReadyTalk, and Wiggio. Many of the meetings have been recorded and archived for the benefit of members who could not attend in real-time.

Improving Teacher Content Knowledge about the Physical Basis of Climate Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaboardi, M.

2009-12-01

In order for teachers to guide students to a deeper understanding of climate change science, teachers themselves must have a firm comprehension of: - the climate system, - how changes in climate can be measured over time, - how past changes are investigated. Improving teacher content knowledge about the physical basis of climate change, and the sources of paleoclimate data, was the primary focus of the 2009 Florida PROMiSE (Partnership to Rejuvenate and Optimize Mathematics and Science Education in Florida) Climate Change Institute. Our team of four, including two scientists, a district resource teacher, and a practicing classroom teacher, collaborated to create and implement 60 hours of professional development for teachers of grades 4-9. First we determined what primary learning outcome we expected: teachers should be able to unravel a basic multi-proxy paleoclimate record (ice core) and convey that in formation in terms of climate change on earth. We then constructed a concept map containing major concepts teachers would need to interpret their records. During the first week, each day was devoted to a major concept, and included: - stations, at which each group of four teachers openly explored components or misconceptions central to that concept; - a station debrief, during which all groups shared findings and were guided to understand the links between the different stations; - a whole group structured discussion, which helped to crystallize the main concept; - time for teachers to reflect on their own learning. Our district resource teacher and our classroom teacher led the development and instruction of stations; our scientists mainly led structured discussions, though all facilitators participated in all levels of development and implementation. The second week included less structure. Learners worked in groups of of four and were able to handle more complex inquiry. The week culminated in the day-long dissection of model ice cores, presentation of each group’s climate change findings, relation of their discoveries to actual findings from ice core data, and placement of that information within the context of climate change over a variety of time scales. Both formal and informal assessment demonstrate that: - teacher content knowledge increased substantially, - teachers report that the various levels of guided inquiry employed during instruction were helpful for their own learning, - teachers communicate that the content and pedagogical knowledge gained during the institute would be useful to them in their classrooms.

Using Mind Maps to Make Student Questioning Effective: Learning Outcomes of a Principle-Based Scenario for Teacher Guidance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stokhof, Harry; de Vries, Bregje; Bastiaens, Theo; Martens, Rob

2018-01-01

Student questioning is an important learning strategy, but rare in many classrooms, because teachers have concerns if these questions contribute to attaining curricular objectives. Teachers face the challenge of making student questioning effective for learning the curriculum. To address this challenge, a principle-based scenario for guiding effective student questioning was developed and tested for its relevance and practicality in two previous studies. In the scenario, which consists of a sequence of pedagogical activities, mind maps support teachers and students to explore and elaborate upon a core curriculum, by raising, investigating, and exchanging student questions. In this paper, a follow-up study is presented that tested the effectiveness of the scenario on student outcomes in terms of attainment of curricular objectives. Ten teachers and their 231 students participated in the study. Pre- and posttest mind maps were used to measure individual and collective learning outcomes of student questioning. Findings show that a majority of students progressed in learning the core curriculum and elaborated upon it. The findings suggest that visualizing knowledge construction in a shared mind map supports students to learn a core curriculum and to refine their knowledge structures.

Forging School-Scientist Partnerships: A Case of Easier Said than Done?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Falloon, Garry

2013-12-01

Since the early 1980s, a number of initiatives have been undertaken worldwide which have involved scientists and teachers working together in projects designed to support the science learning of students. Many of these have attempted to establish school-scientist partnerships. In these, scientists, teachers, and students formed teams engaged in mutually beneficial science-based activities founded on principles such as equal recognition and input, and shared vision, responsibility and risk. This article uses two partnership programmes run by a New Zealand Science Research Institute, to illustrate the challenges faced by scientists and teachers as they attempted to forge meaningful and effective partnerships. It argues that achieving the theorised position of a shared partnership space at the intersection of the worlds of scientists and teachers is problematic, and that scientists must instead be prepared to penetrate deeply into the world of the classroom when undertaking any such interactions. Findings indicate epistemological differences, curriculum and school systems and issues, and teacher efficacy and science knowledge significantly affect the process of partnership formation. Furthermore, it is argued that a re-thinking of partnerships is needed to reflect present economic and education environments, which are very different to those in which they were originally conceived nearly 30 years ago. It suggests that technology has an important role to play in future partnership interactions.

Transformational Teaching: Theoretical Underpinnings, Basic Principles, and Core Methods

PubMed Central

Slavich, George M.; Zimbardo, Philip G.

2012-01-01

Approaches to classroom instruction have evolved considerably over the past 50 years. This progress has been spurred by the development of several learning principles and methods of instruction, including active learning, student-centered learning, collaborative learning, experiential learning, and problem-based learning. In the present paper, we suggest that these seemingly different strategies share important underlying characteristics and can be viewed as complimentary components of a broader approach to classroom instruction called transformational teaching. Transformational teaching involves creating dynamic relationships between teachers, students, and a shared body of knowledge to promote student learning and personal growth. From this perspective, instructors are intellectual coaches who create teams of students who collaborate with each other and with their teacher to master bodies of information. Teachers assume the traditional role of facilitating students’ acquisition of key course concepts, but do so while enhancing students’ personal development and attitudes toward learning. They accomplish these goals by establishing a shared vision for a course, providing modeling and mastery experiences, challenging and encouraging students, personalizing attention and feedback, creating experiential lessons that transcend the boundaries of the classroom, and promoting ample opportunities for preflection and reflection. We propose that these methods are synergistically related and, when used together, maximize students’ potential for intellectual and personal growth. PMID:23162369

Putting more ‘modern’ in modern physics education: a Knowledge Building approach using student questions and ideas about the universe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagner, Glenn

2017-03-01

Student-generated questions and ideas about our universe are the start of a rich and highly motivating learning environment. Using their curiosity-driven questions and ideas, students form Knowledge Building groups or ‘communities’ where they plan, set goals, design questions for research, and assess the progress of their work, tasks that were once under the control of the teacher. With the understanding that all knowledge and ideas are treated as improvable, students work collaboratively at their level of competency to share their knowledge, ideas and understandings gained from authoritative sources and laboratory activities. Over time, students work collectively to improve the knowledge and ideas of others that result in advances in understanding that benefit not only the individual but the community as a whole. Learning outcomes reported in this paper demonstrate that a Knowledge Building environment applied to introductory cosmology produced similar gains in knowledge and understanding surrounding foundational concepts compared to teacher-centred learning environments. Aside from new knowledge and understanding, students develop important skills and competencies such as question-asking, idea development, communication, collaboration that are becoming ever more important for 21st century living and working. Finally, the process of planning and initiating a Knowledge Building environment that produced the results reported in this paper is outlined.

Using collaborative technology to enhance pre-service teachers' pedagogical content knowledge in Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donnelly, Dermot Francis; Hume, Anne

2015-01-01

Background:Supporting pre-service teacher (PT) collaboration as a means of professional learning is a challenging but essential task for effective practice. However, teacher placements or practicums in schools, which is common practice within teacher education programmes, can often isolate PTs from sharing their experiences with each other. Further, the articulation of effective pedagogical practices by high-quality teachers is limited, restricting PTs' ability to access such professional knowledge. Purpose:This study investigates how the introduction of a collaborative technology, a wiki, may enhance existing and new opportunities for pre-service teachers' (PTs) to develop pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). Sample:Seven PT chemistry teachers of varied backgrounds participated in this study. Design and method:The PTs were learning to collaboratively formulate and document their early topic-specific teaching knowledge using a pedagogical tool known as Content Representation (CoRe) design. Once scaffolded into this process, the PTs continued and extended this collaborative work online through the introduction of a wiki. Data were collected for qualitative analysis through the CoRe artefacts, a semi-structured focus group interview, and PTs' reflective essays about their collaborative experiences representing their teaching knowledge in CoRes through the wiki. Results:Data analysis highlighted that while wiki use showed some potential for collaborative representation when participants were not face-to-face, the PTs were hesitant in critiquing each other's work. As such, the online representations remained relatively static without face-to-face interaction. However, developing artefacts online was favoured over established practice and the access to artefacts of their peers on the wiki enhanced PTs' consideration for their own PCK. Conclusion:Wikis show some potential in the hosting of CoRes, but issues in simultaneous posting and lack of chat functionality may hinder PTs' ability to easily critique each others' work. However, the PTs in this study also demonstrated a broader unwillingness to critique each other's CoRes that teacher educators need to challenge. The use of technology to support PTs' CoRes and critiquing warrants further research.

Expect the unexpected: A look at teacher-researcher partnerships over the long-term

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warburton, J.; Bartholow, S.; Larson, A.

2016-02-01

For over ten years, the Arctic Research Consortium of the United States (ARCUS) has developed and implemented PolarTREC-Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating (PolarTREC). This unique program has brought K-12 educators and polar researchers together through an innovative teacher research experience model. Utilizing field-based experiences in the polar regions, PolarTREC provide teachers the content knowledge, pedagogical tools, confidence, understanding of science in the broader society, and experiences with scientific inquiry they need to promote authentic scientific research in their classroom. PolarTREC has the potential to transform the nature of STEM education. In this presentation, we will share how the PolarTREC model has led to teachers and researchers developing positive, professional relationships with the potential to grow into long-term partnerships. And, how these partnerships have led to both unexpected and amazing outcomes.

What's So Hard about Staff Development? A Study in Face-to-Face Interaction. Occasional Paper No. 14.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anang, Arlene; Florio-Ruane, Susan

Staff development carried out within a conference format is multidimensional, ambiguous, potentially face-threatening, and complex. It is dependent upon the interactional work that takes place during face-to-face negotiations. The skills and knowledge of the staff developer cannot be shared with a teacher in a vacuum, but are dependent upon the…

Ethics Issues of Digital Contents for Pre-Service Primary Teachers: A Gamification Experience for Self-Assessment with Socrative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pérez Garcias, Adolfina; Marín, Victoria I.

2016-01-01

The knowledge society has brought many possibilities for open education practices and, simultaneously, deep ethical challenges related to the use, sharing and reuse of digital content. In fact, even at university level, many undergraduate students do not respect the licences of digital resources. As part of the contents of a third-year educational…

Learning about Evaluation and Assessment: Teacher's Use of Folksonomies and Ontologies in an Online Narrative Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petrucco, C.

2011-01-01

Building ontology in the domain of human sciences can be a difficult process because of the different meanings given to the same key concepts in these disciplines: in fact, shared meaning is an important element in knowledge construction between members of a community. In this paper, we propose a participatory social environment called…

Culture-Based Arts Education That Teaches against the Grain: A Model for Place-Specific Material Culture Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bequette, James W.

2014-01-01

When 50 Midwest teachers in two public schools and one Reservation school worked in respectful, knowledgeable, and power-sharing ways with local Indigenous elders, artists, and academics, the outcome was often culture-based arts education that teaches against the grain. This collaboration and the culturally responsive pedagogy it inspired led to…

Understanding primary school science teachers' pedagogical content knowledge: The case of teaching global warming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chordnork, Boonliang; Yuenyong, Chokchai

2018-01-01

This aim of this research was to investigate primary school science teachers understanding and teaching practice as well as the influence on teaching and learning a topic like global warming. The participants were four primary science teachers, who were not graduated in science education. Methodology was the case study method, which was under the qualitative research regarded from interpretive paradigm. Data were collected by openended questionnaire, semi-structure interview, and document colleting. The questionnaire examined teachers' background, teachers' understanding of problems and threats of science teaching, desiring of development their PCK, sharing the teaching approaches, and their ideas of strength and weakness. a semi-structured interview was conducted based on the approach for capturing PCK of Loughran [23] content representation (CoRe). And, the document was collected to clarify what evidence which was invented to effect on students' learning. These document included lesson plan, students' task, and painting about global warming, science projects, the picture of activities of science learning, the exercise and test. Data analysis employed multiple approach of evidence looking an issue from each primary science teachers and used triangulation method to analyze the data with aiming to make meaning of teachers' representation of teaching practice. These included descriptive statistics, CoRe interpretation, and document analysis. The results show that teachers had misunderstanding of science teaching practice and they has articulated the pedagogical content knowledge in terms of assessment, goal of teaching and linking to the context of socio cultural. In contrast, knowledge and belief of curriculum, students' understanding of content global warming, and strategies of teaching were articulated indistinct by non-graduate science teacher. Constructing opportunities for personal development, the curiosity of the student learning center, and linking context of socio-culture were the creative factor in the teaching global warming. On the other hand, the teachers had an idea that lack of technology and the defect of child's intelligence were hinder factors teaching global warming.

Teacher Professional Development that Makes an Impact

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borrego, H.; Ellins, K. K.

2012-12-01

Through four years of participation in the TeXas Earth and Space Science (TXESS) Revolution, an NSF-sponsored teacher professional development project, my knowledge of earth science and new pedagogical approaches has improved dramatically. In addition, I have received instructional materials, and learned how to access high quality online resources and use a variety of web-based tools. As a consequence, I have developed the confidence to use the TXESS model to deliver earth science professional development that makes an impact to other teachers in the Rio Grande Valley region of South Texas. In this session, I will share my experiences as an earth science professional development provider and describe how I have used my own learning to help both teachers and students become more earth science literate. Earth science test scores at the elementary and secondary level throughout South Texas are consistently low in comparison to other regional areas in the state. The majority of the teachers lack the content-knowledge, confidence, or experience to teach earth science. My background as teacher combined with the TXESS Revolution experience helped me to understand the needs of these teachers and to identify teaching resources that would be useful to them. Using educational resources provided by the TXESS Revolution I have offered professional development topics such as Energy, Geologic Time and Stratigraphy, Water and the Cryosphere, Plate Tectonics, and Climate to about 125 South Texas elementary and middle school teachers. These trainings have helped improve the content knowledge of South Texas teachers and given them tools that they can use to guide student learning through authentic scientific research. In addition to providing professional development to teachers, I have been recruited to serve as the representative of the Offshore Energy Center for South Texas. This curriculum complements the TXESS Revolution educational resources by expanding the Energy education. The partnership with Offshore Energy is financing the framework for developing more training. More than 15 school districts in South Texas will have the opportunity to participate in this program

Enhancing Teacher and Student Engagement and Understanding of Marine Science Through Classroom Citizen Science Projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodale, T. A.

2016-02-01

Overview This paper presentation shares findings from a granted funded project that sought to expand teacher content knowledge and pedagogy within the fields of marine science and coastal resource management through the implementation of classroom citizen science projects. A secondary goal was to increase middle and high school student interest and participation in marine science and natural resources research. Background A local science & engineering fair has seen a rapid decline in secondary student participants in the past four years. Research has demonstrated that when students are a part of a system of knowledge production (citizen science) they become much more aware, involved and conscious of scientific concepts compared to traditional school laboratory and nature of science activities. This project's primary objectives were to: (a) enhance teacher content expertise in marine science, (b) enrich teacher professional learning, (c) support citizen science classroom projects and inspire student activism and marine science engagement. Methods Project goals were addressed through classroom and meaningful outdoor educational experiences that put content knowledge into field based practices. Teachers learned to apply thier expanded content knowlege through classroom citizen science projects that focus on marine resource conservation issues such as fisheries management, water quality, turtle nesting and biodiversity of coastal ecosystems. These projects would eventually become potential topics of citizen science research topics for their students to pursue. Upon completion of their professional development, participants were urged to establish student Marine Science clubs with the goal of mentoring student submissions into the local science fair. Supplemental awards were possible for the students of project participants. Findings Based on project measures participants significantly increased their knowledge and awareness of presented material marine science and coastal resources. 11/14 teacher participants established citizen science clubs that focused on marine related issues. Science fair participation increased by 42% and of those students whose mentor teacher was a project participant 90% stated they would likely pursue a marine science related major in college.

Mind Map Our Way into Effective Student Questioning: a Principle-Based Scenario

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stokhof, Harry; de Vries, Bregje; Bastiaens, Theo; Martens, Rob

2017-07-01

Student questioning is an important self-regulative strategy and has multiple benefits for teaching and learning science. Teachers, however, need support to align student questioning to curricular goals. This study tests a prototype of a principle-based scenario that supports teachers in guiding effective student questioning. In the scenario, mind mapping is used to provide both curricular structure as well as support for student questioning. The fidelity of structure and the process of implementation were verified by interviews, video data and a product collection. Results show that the scenario was relevant for teachers, practical in use and effective for guiding student questioning. Results also suggest that shared responsibility for classroom mind maps contributed to more intensive collective knowledge construction.

The Implementation of an Interdisciplinary Co-planning Team Model Among Mathematics and Science Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, Michelle Cetner

In recent years, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education has become a significant focus of numerous theoretical and commentary articles as researchers have advocated for active and conceptually integrated learning in classrooms. Drawing connections between previously isolated subjects, especially mathematics and science, has been shown to increase student engagement, performance, and critical thinking skills. However, obstacles exist to the widespread implementation of integrated curricula in schools, such as teacher knowledge and school structure and culture. The Interdisciplinary Co-planning Team (ICT) model, in which teachers of different subjects come together regularly to discuss connections between content and to plan larger interdisciplinary activities and smaller examples and discussion points, offers a method for teachers to create sustainable interdisciplinary experiences for students within the bounds of the current school structure. The ICT model is designed to be an iterative, flexible model, providing teachers with both a regular time to come together as "experts" and "teach" each other important concepts from their separate disciplines, and then to bring their shared knowledge and language back to their own classrooms to implement with their students in ways that fit their individual classes. In this multiple-case study, which aims to describe the nature of the co-planning process, the nature of plans, and changes in teacher beliefs as a result of co-planning, three pairs of secondary mathematics and science teachers participated in a 10-week intervention with the ICT model. Each pair constituted one case. Data included observations, interviews, and artifact collection. All interviews, whole-group sessions, and co-planning sessions were transcribed and coded using both theory-based and data-based codes. Finally, a cross-case comparison was used to present similarities and differences across cases. Findings suggest that the ICT model can be implemented with pairs of mathematics and science teachers to create a sustainable way to share experience and expertise, and to create powerful interdisciplinary experiences for their students. In addition, there is evidence that participation with the ICT model positively influences teacher beliefs about the nature of mathematics and science, about teaching and learning, and about interdisciplinary connections. These findings seem to hold across grades, school type, and personal experience. Future implementation of the ICT model on a larger scale is recommended to continue to observe the effects on teachers and students.

[Dental education for college students based on WeChat public platform].

PubMed

Chen, Chuan-Jun; Sun, Tan

2016-06-01

The authors proposed a model for dental education based on WeChat public platform. In this model, teachers send various kinds of digital teaching information such as PPT，word and video to the WeChat public platform and students share the information for preview before class and differentiate the key-point knowledge from those information for in-depth learning in class. Teachers also send reference materials for expansive learning after class. Questionaire through the WeChat public platform is used to evaluate teaching effect of teachers and improvement may be taken based on the feedback questionnaire. A discussion and interaction based on WeCchat between students and teacher can be aroused on a specific topic to reach a proper solution. With technique development of mobile terminal, mobile class will come true in near future.

GalileoMobile, sharing astronomy with students and teachers around the world

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benitez-Herrera, S.; GalileoMobile Team

2017-03-01

GalileoMobile is a non-profit itinerant science outreach initiative that brings Astronomy closer to young people in areas with little or no access to outreach programs. We perform astronomy-related activities in schools and communities we visit and encourage follow-up activities through teacher training workshops and the donation of telescopes and other educational resources. GalileoMobile is an unprecedented initiative promoting science knowledge and the interaction beyond borders through Astronomy while raising awareness for the diversity of human cultures, conveying the message of unity under the same sky. We take advantage of the local astronomical culture of the visited communities to establish a dialogue between different ways of understanding the world and to share different types of knowledge (historic, scientific, anthropological...), encouraging a process of mutual learning. GalileoMobile is composed of 15 volunteer team members and more than 40 collaborators from different countries. Since its creation in 2008, we have organised expeditions in Chile, Bolivia and Peru (2009), Bolivia (2012), India (2012) and Uganda (2013), Brazil and Bolivia (2014), Colombia (2014) and extended actions in Portugal (2012, 2013), Nepal (2013), Guatemala (2013), Dominican Republic (2013), the United States (2013) and Haiti (2014). Our initiative for 2015, Constellation (www.constellationproject.org), aimed to establish a South American network of schools committed to the long-term organisation of astronomical outreach activities amongst their pupils and local communities. This project was supported by the Cosmic Light Project of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and partially funded by the Office for Astronomy Development. In total, we have reached over 15,000 students; 1,400 teachers and 6,000 people in different communities over the past eight years. Our efforts and activities have been shared with the public in over 80 conferences and talks, including a TEDx talk. Today, we continue our efforts with the support of Universe Awareness (UNAWE) and the collaboration of Galileo Teacher Training Program (GTTP) and A Touch of Universe (ATU). GalileoMobile also extends its impact to a worldwide audience through deliverable products. Our work is shared worldwide through the production of documentaries, books and a wide range of Internet resources (OfficialWebsite - here - and Blog, Facebook page, Google+,Twitter, Youtube and Vimeo).

Teaching Systems Thinking in the Context of the Water Cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Tammy D.; Gail Jones, M.; Chesnutt, Katherine

2017-06-01

Complex systems affect every part of our lives from the ecosystems that we inhabit and share with other living organisms to the systems that supply our water (i.e., water cycle). Evaluating events, entities, problems, and systems from multiple perspectives is known as a systems thinking approach. New curriculum standards have made explicit the call for teaching with a systems thinking approach in our science classrooms. However, little is known about how elementary in-service or pre-service teachers understand complex systems especially in terms of systems thinking. This mixed methods study investigated 67 elementary in-service teachers' and 69 pre-service teachers' knowledge of a complex system (e.g., water cycle) and their knowledge of systems thinking. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sub-sample of participants. Quantitative and qualitative analyses of content assessment data and questionnaires were conducted. Results from this study showed elementary in-service and pre-service teachers applied different levels of systems thinking from novice to intermediate. Common barriers to complete systems thinking were identified with both in-service and pre-service teachers and included identifying components and processes, recognizing multiple interactions and relationships between subsystems and hidden dimensions, and difficulty understanding the human impact on the water cycle system.

Idea Swap: The Best Ideas Come from Teachers Like You!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Instructor, 2006

2006-01-01

This article presents several activities and teaching ideas shared by teachers. One teacher shared how an Egyptian mummy-making activity can be a great hands-on learning through time. Another teacher shared how a bowl filled with popcorn kernels has made it easy for her to get the attention of her students.

School Teachers' Continuous Professional Development in an Online Learning Community: Lessons from a Case Study of an eTwinning Learning Event

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holmes, Brian

2013-01-01

A social revolution is occurring in the way information is shared, knowledge is generated and innovation takes place over the Internet and there is renewed interest in the social concept of "community" to support online learning. This article describes action research conducted in the context of an eTwinning Learning Event (LE) that…

Making good physics videos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lincoln, James

2017-05-01

Online videos are an increasingly important way technology is contributing to the improvement of physics teaching. Students and teachers have begun to rely on online videos to provide them with content knowledge and instructional strategies. Online audiences are expecting greater production value, and departments are sometimes requesting educators to post video pre-labs or to flip our classrooms. In this article, I share my advice on creating engaging physics videos.

The Impact of Multifaceted Osteoporosis Group Education on Patients' Decision-Making regarding Treatment Options and Lifestyle Changes.

PubMed

Jensen, Annesofie L; Wind, Gitte; Langdahl, Bente Lomholt; Lomborg, Kirsten

2018-01-01

Patients with chronic diseases like osteoporosis constantly have to make decisions related to their disease. Multifaceted osteoporosis group education (GE) may support patients' decision-making. This study investigated multifaceted osteoporosis GE focusing on the impact of GE on patients' decision-making related to treatment options and lifestyle. An interpretive description design using ethnographic methods was utilized with 14 women and three men diagnosed with osteoporosis who attended multifaceted GE. Data consisted of participant observation during GE and individual interviews. Attending GE had an impact on the patients' decision-making in all educational themes. Patients decided on new ways to manage osteoporosis and made decisions regarding bone health and how to implement a lifestyle ensuring bone health. During GE, teachers and patients shared evidence-based knowledge and personal experiences and preferences, respectively, leading to a two-way exchange of information and deliberation about recommendations. Though teachers and patients explored the implications of the decisions and shared their preferences, teachers stressed that the patients ultimately had to make the decision. Teachers therefore refrained from participating in the final step of the decision-making process. Attending GE has an impact on the patients' decision-making as it can initiate patient reflection and support decision-making.

What is motivating middle-school science teachers to teach climate change?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McNeal, Peggy; Petcovic, Heather; Reeves, Patricia

2017-05-01

Adoption of science content standards that include anthropogenic climate change has prompted widespread instruction in climate change for the first time. However, the controversial nature of the topic can be daunting and many teachers share misconceptions that lead to weak treatment of climate change in classrooms. Nevertheless, numerous teachers have embraced the topic and are providing illustrations of deliberate climate change education. In this study we investigated teacher motivation using focus groups with middle school teachers who currently teach climate change. Qualitative analysis of the collective teacher voices yielded underlying motivations. Our findings suggest that these teachers' interest in environmentalism naturally translates to climate change advocacy and motivates teaching the topic. Their knowledge and expertise gives them confidence to teach it. These teachers see themselves as scientists, therefore their views align with the scientific consensus. They practice authentic scientific research with their students, thus confirming valued characteristics of their scientist identity. Finally, our findings suggest that teaching climate change gives these teachers a sense of hope as they impact the future through their students. This study contrasts with skepticism over the state of climate change education and contributes to an understanding of how climate change education is motivated in teachers.

If it takes two to tango, then why not teach both partners to dance? Collaboration instruction for all educators.

PubMed

Hudson, P; Glomb, N

1997-01-01

Being able to collaborate effectively is important for teachers who work together to serve students with learning disabilities in general education classrooms. Effective collaboration requires that teachers have knowledge and skills in how to effectively communicate and share their technical expertise for the purpose of solving classroom problems and providing continuity across instructional settings. Although both special education and general education preparation programs provide preservice teachers with the technical expertise for their respective areas of certification, few programs provide both special education and general education majors with instruction in interpersonal communication skills and collaboration strategies. The purpose of this article is to suggest guidelines and strategies to help teacher preparation programs move toward collaboration instruction for all educators. Suggestions for what to teach and how to teach it are offered, as well as an overview of factors that influence the implementation of collaboration instruction for all educators.

Online information seeking practices of biology teachers and the perceived influences on instructional planning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perrault, Anne Marie

The purpose of this study was to examine biology teachers' perceptions of how their online information seeking practices influence their instructional planning. When teachers engage in activities to locate, evaluate, and use online information and resources, a myriad of inter-related and often inseparable consequences follows. These influences may be any combination of direct/indirect, desirable/undesirable, or anticipated/unanticipated (Rogers, 2003). This exploratory study collected baseline data regarding teachers' online practices and its influence on their practice. There were two phases of data collection in this study. Phase I was an online survey of more than seventy New York State biology teachers. The survey was intended to capture (1) a snapshot of the biology teachers' online information seeking practices during the summer and fall 2004, and (2) their perceptions regarding how their online practices influenced their instructional planning. In Phase II, ten study participants were interviewed in order to explore in greater detail the consequences of their online information seeking practices on their instructional planning. Four themes reflecting the consequences of teachers' information seeking practices emerged from the data analysis: Currency of Information; Sparking of Ideas and Gaining Personal Knowledge; Resource Management and the Role of Time; and Webs of Sharing. Each theme encompassed both the purposeful and the indirect actions by teachers to access knowledge and resources to refine and improve their instructional planning. This study's findings show that teachers are using a greater number and wider range of current and multi-modal resources than pre-Internet and they perceive this as an advantage in creating authentic, inquiry-based learning experiences. A notable discovery was of the under-use by teachers of educational online resources specifically designed to support teaching and learning activities (e.g., digital libraries, online databases, and listservs). This study's findings point to a recursive process in which teachers are engaged in ongoing online information seeking practices; continually learning and fostering new knowledge; integrating the learning into their instructional planning practices; changing their teaching strategies; and going back online to search for information and resources and begin the cycle again.

Foundations of Observation: Considerations for Developing a Classroom Observation System That Helps Districts Achieve Consistent and Accurate Scores. MET Project, Policy and Practice Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joe, Jilliam N.; Tocci, Cynthia M.; Holtzman, Steven L.; Williams, Jean C.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to provide states and school districts with processes they can use to help ensure high-quality data collection during teacher observations. Educational Testing Service's (ETS's) goal in writing it is to share the knowledge and expertise they gained: (1) from designing and implementing scoring processes for the Measures…

Teachers and Testing: Mentor Teachers Share Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franklin, Cheryl A.; Snow-Gerono, Jennifer

2005-01-01

This article reports research conducted to describe the perceptions of mentor teachers in elementary schools who work with preservice teachers in local school-university partnerships. Teachers shared how their lives in elementary schools/classrooms have changed as a result of new standardized testing requirements. Results focus on how…

Constitutions of Nature by Teacher Practice and Discourse in Ontario Grade 9 and 10 Academic Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoeg, Darren Glen

This thesis presents an ethnographic study, based broadly on principles and methods of institutional ethnography, on the constitution of nature by nine Ontario Grade 9 and 10 Academic Science teachers. The intent of this methodological approach is to examine how the daily practice of participants works toward constituting nature in specific ways that are coordinated by the institution (Ontario public school and/or school science). Critical Discourse Analysis and general inductive analysis were performed on interview transcripts, texts related to teaching science selected by participants, and policy documents (i.e. curriculum; assessment policy) that coordinate science teacher practice. Findings indicate specific, dominant, and relatively uniform ontological and epistemological constitutions of nature. Nature was frequently constituted as a remote object, distant from and different than students studying it. More complex representations included constituting nature as a model, machine, or mathematical algorithm. Epistemological constitutions of nature were enacted through practices that engaged students in manipulating nature; controlling nature, and dominating nature. Relatively few practices that allow students to construct different constitutions of nature than those prioritized by the institution were observed. Dominant constitutions generally assume nature is simply the material to study, from which scientific knowledge can be obtained, with little ethical or moral consideration about nature itself, or how these constitutions produce discourse and relationships that may be detrimental to nature. Dominant constitutions of nature represent a type of objective knowledge that is prioritized, and made accessible to students, through science activities that attain a position of privilege in local science teacher cultures. The activities that allow students to attain the requisite knowledge of nature are collected, collated, and shared among existing science teachers. Activities are adapted to meet the knowledge requirements of the curriculum, which is institutionally coordinated by a system of management, based on accountability and performance. Thus, teachers come to see teaching practice that 'works' as contained in those science activities that engage students in learning nature as a specific representation (model/machine) or through science methods that control students learning so that they arrive at the correct knowledge. This allows teachers to assess and evaluate students' acquisition of the institutionally valued knowledge of nature. This system of coordination is sustained through discourse that enables teaching practices that aligns with institutional priorities of measuring performance, while at the same time, limiting teachers from being able to conceive of other teaching practices that might enable different constitutions of nature.

Shared Book Reading Promotes Not Only Language Development, But Also Grapheme Awareness in German Kindergarten Children

PubMed Central

Wesseling, Patricia B. C.; Christmann, Corinna A.; Lachmann, Thomas

2017-01-01

Effects of shared book reading on expressive vocabulary and grapheme awareness without letter instruction in German kindergarteners (longitudinal; N = 69, 3;0–4;8 years) were investigated. Expressive vocabulary was measured by using a standardized test; grapheme awareness was measured by asking children to identify one grapheme per trial presented amongst non-letter distractors. Two methods of shared book reading were investigated, literacy enrichment (additional books) and teacher training in shared book reading strategies, both without explicit letter instruction. Whereas positive effects of shared book reading on expressive vocabulary were evident in numerous previous studies, the impact of shared book reading on grapheme awareness has not yet been investigated. Both methods resulted in positive effects on children’s expressive vocabulary and grapheme awareness over a period of 6 months. Thus, early shared book reading may not only be considered to be a tool for promoting the development of expressive vocabulary, but also for implicit acquisition of grapheme awareness. The latter is considered an important precondition required for the explicit learning of grapheme–phoneme conversion rules (letter knowledge). PMID:28377732

Shared Book Reading Promotes Not Only Language Development, But Also Grapheme Awareness in German Kindergarten Children.

PubMed

Wesseling, Patricia B C; Christmann, Corinna A; Lachmann, Thomas

2017-01-01

Effects of shared book reading on expressive vocabulary and grapheme awareness without letter instruction in German kindergarteners (longitudinal; N = 69, 3;0-4;8 years) were investigated. Expressive vocabulary was measured by using a standardized test; grapheme awareness was measured by asking children to identify one grapheme per trial presented amongst non-letter distractors. Two methods of shared book reading were investigated, literacy enrichment (additional books) and teacher training in shared book reading strategies, both without explicit letter instruction. Whereas positive effects of shared book reading on expressive vocabulary were evident in numerous previous studies, the impact of shared book reading on grapheme awareness has not yet been investigated. Both methods resulted in positive effects on children's expressive vocabulary and grapheme awareness over a period of 6 months. Thus, early shared book reading may not only be considered to be a tool for promoting the development of expressive vocabulary, but also for implicit acquisition of grapheme awareness. The latter is considered an important precondition required for the explicit learning of grapheme-phoneme conversion rules (letter knowledge).

Collaboration to Teach English Language Learners: Opportunities for Shared Teacher Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin-Beltran, Melinda; Peercy, Megan Madigan

2014-01-01

This study examines collaboration between English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) teachers and content-area elementary school teachers, and makes the case for conceptualising teacher collaboration as an opportunity for shared teacher learning. Using a sociocultural theoretical lens, this study examines how three pairs of elementary teachers…

Sharing Command of the Co-Teaching Ship: How to Play Nicely with Others

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sims, Emily

2008-01-01

High school teacher Emily Sims shares her experiences co-teaching inclusive classes as a first-year teacher. She imparts practical advice for successful co-teaching relationships between the content teacher and the special education teacher, from which both students and teachers can thrive. (Contains 1 figure.)

Tried & Tested. Ideas from Teacher Centers in the Southeast.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bohstedt, Jinx, Ed.; Eisenmann-Donahue, Pat, Ed.

Throughout the southeastern United States, teacher centers share much in common. The conceptual framework of teachers helping teachers inspires the development of resources and services which are similar whether the center serves a large district or only a few schools. Although the teacher centers share similar philosophies, concerns, successes,…

Lessons Learned at LPI for Scientists in Education and Public Outreach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shupla, C. B.; Kramer, G. Y.; Gross, J.; Shaner, A. J.; Dalton, H.; Grier, J.; Buxner, S.; Shipp, S. S.; Hackler, A. S.

2015-12-01

The Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) has engaged scientists in a variety of education programs, including teacher workshops, family events, public presentations, informal educator trainings, communication workshops, and outreach events. Scientists have helped conduct hands-on activities, participated in group discussions, and given talks, while sharing their own career paths and interests; these activities have provided audiences with a clearer vision of how science is conducted and how they can become engaged in science themselves. We will share the lessons we have learned through these experiences, including the value of collaborations between scientists and educators, the importance of understanding the audience's interests and knowledge, and the insights that audiences gain during unstructured discussion and interactions with scientists. LPI has also worked with the NASA Science Mission Directorate E/PO community to determine ways to enable scientists and engineers to engage in E/PO and STEM learning, including examining the research and programs for becoming involved in the preparation of future teachers (see the Menu of Opportunities at http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/pre_service_edu/). We will share key research-based best practices that are recommended for scientists and engineers interested in participating in E/PO activities.

Bench to Bedside: The Effectiveness of a Professional Development Program Focused on Biomedical Sciences and Action Research

PubMed Central

Barnes, Marianne B.; Barnes, Lehman W.; Cooper, Lou Ann; Bokor, Julie R.; Koroly, Mary Jo

2017-01-01

A three-year, National Institutes of Health-funded residential project at a southeastern research university immersed 83 secondary science teachers in a summer institute called “Bench to Bedside.” Teachers were provided with knowledge, skills, experiences, and incentives to improve their science teaching and increase their awareness of scientific processes, technologies, and careers by examining the translational medicine continuum of basic to clinical research. This was done with the help of medical school researchers, clinical personnel, biotechnology entrepreneurs, program mentors, and prior year participants. A critical component of the institute was the preparation and implementation of an action research project that reflected teachers’ newly acquired knowledge and skills. Action research proposals were critiqued by project team members and feedback provided prior to action research implementation in schools during the following year. Teachers shared their action research with colleagues and project team at a symposium and online as a critical step in networking the teachers. Results of a mixed methods program evaluation strategy indicate that the program produced significant gains in teachers’ confidence to explain advanced biosciences topics, development of action research skills, and formation of a statewide biosciences network of key stakeholders. Constraints of time, variation in teacher content and action research background, technology availability, and school-related variables, among others, are discussed. PMID:29733086

A 3-D Approach for Teaching and Learning about Surface Water Systems through Computational Thinking, Data Visualization and Physical Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caplan, B.; Morrison, A.; Moore, J. C.; Berkowitz, A. R.

2017-12-01

Understanding water is central to understanding environmental challenges. Scientists use `big data' and computational models to develop knowledge about the structure and function of complex systems, and to make predictions about changes in climate, weather, hydrology, and ecology. Large environmental systems-related data sets and simulation models are difficult for high school teachers and students to access and make sense of. Comp Hydro, a collaboration across four states and multiple school districts, integrates computational thinking and data-related science practices into water systems instruction to enhance development of scientific model-based reasoning, through curriculum, assessment and teacher professional development. Comp Hydro addresses the need for 1) teaching materials for using data and physical models of hydrological phenomena, 2) building teachers' and students' comfort or familiarity with data analysis and modeling, and 3) infusing the computational knowledge and practices necessary to model and visualize hydrologic processes into instruction. Comp Hydro teams in Baltimore, MD and Fort Collins, CO are integrating teaching about surface water systems into high school courses focusing on flooding (MD) and surface water reservoirs (CO). This interactive session will highlight the successes and challenges of our physical and simulation models in helping teachers and students develop proficiency with computational thinking about surface water. We also will share insights from comparing teacher-led vs. project-led development of curriculum and our simulations.

Initial testing of an instrument to measure teacher identity in physicians.

PubMed

Starr, Susan; Haley, Heather-Lyn; Mazor, Kathleen M; Ferguson, Warren; Philbin, Mary; Quirk, Mark

2006-01-01

A previous study described 7 elements of teacher identity: intrinsic satisfaction from teaching, knowledge and skill about teaching, belonging to a community of teachers, receiving rewards for teaching, believing that being a doctor means being a teacher, feeling a responsibility to teach, and sharing clinical expertise. To conduct the initial testing of an instrument to measure the 7 elements of teacher identity in clinical educators and to consider the potential applications of such an instrument. A 37-item questionnaire was mailed to 153 preceptors of preclinical students. Categories reflected the elements of teacher identity listed here. Demographic data were collected. Means, alphas, ANOVAs, and paired t tests were calculated. Of 153 preceptors, 127 (83%) completed the questionnaire. Cronbach's alpha for the overall scale and several subscales were high. Salaried physicians and those who had completed a faculty development program scored significantly higher on several subscales than physicians who volunteered to teach or who did not have faculty development. This study provides preliminary evidence that teacher identity can be measured and that preceptors do not respond as a homogeneous group. Assessing teacher identity may be helpful to medical schools looking to identify and support physicians who teach.

Job Sharing for Teachers. Bibliographies in Education. No. 79.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canadian Teachers' Federation, Ottawa (Ontario).

This annotated bibliography focusing on job sharing for teachers contains 37 book citations and 94 journal article citations. While the particular focus was on job sharing for teachers, general works which provide useful information on such arrangements have been included. A special effort was made to include all Canadian references related to job…

Teachers in the Lead: A District's Approach to Shared Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stegall, David; Linton, Jayme

2012-01-01

Whether a principal builds a structure of shared decision making, shared leadership, or not, teachers will have ideas and conversations about what they feel may be more effective. These conversations impact the entire culture of a school. When teachers have the opportunity to take ownership of decision making and planning, the ultimate decisions…

Research experience in Maine leads to teacher and student success in Texas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slade-Redden, D.; Incze, L.; Census Of Marine Life-Maine

2010-12-01

As a High School science teacher it is my responsibility to present curriculum, to create enthusiasm for science, and to instill a passion and love for science in my students. Through a research experience as an ARMADA master teacher my passion and enthusiasm for the ocean was rekindled in the Gulf of Maine. Topics I had taught for years came alive in front of my eyes, and I was able to experience science to its fullest. I brought home many photographs, valuable information, and new enthusiasm to my students. I began a program called S.A.N.D. (Students As Nature Directors). In this program my students teach 3rd graders about the oceans and its many wonders. Also, I have incorporated hands-on research based projects. The research experience has enabled my students to become more scientifically literate and capable of sharing scientific knowledge with others. This presentation will show how research/teacher partnerships benefit students as well as teachers and how my students and district have benefited from my experience as an ARMADA master teacher. Author: Debra Slade-Redden Author #2: Lew Incze

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zender, Georgi Anne

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

Team Spirit: Teachers Work Together to Establish and Achieve Key Goals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Troen, Vivian; Boles, Katherine C.

2010-01-01

Common experience, along with a vast collection of research, demonstrates that schools can expect a range of benefits to accrue when teachers work together. Teacher teaming can reduce teacher isolation, increase collegiality, facilitate the sharing of resources and ideas, and capitalize on teacher's individual and shared strengths. And most…

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abd-El-Khalick, Fouad

2013-09-01

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

Supporting the development of curricular knowledge among novice physics instructors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robertson, Amy D.

2018-04-01

In this paper, my aim is to problematize the invisibility (to instructors) of the purposes of particular exercises within research-based instructional materials (RBIMs) and to provide one possible solution to this problem that other teacher educators may adapt for their institutional contexts. In particular, I show that many RBIMs anticipate and respond to particular (often incorrect) learner ideas, that teachers often do not recognize this, and that not recognizing this can cause teachers to miss opportunities to build on learner ideas and/or engage students in scientific practices. I share an instructional activity I designed that is meant to support teachers—including university physics Learning Assistants—in recognizing the purposes of particular questions or sequences of questions within RBIMs, and I illustrate that this activity can be a productive starting place for conversation about RBIMs.

Shared function knowledge: infants' attention to function information in communicative contexts.

PubMed

Träuble, Birgit; Bätz, Johannes

2014-08-01

Humans are specifically adapted to knowledge acquisition and transfer by social communication. According to natural pedagogy theory, infants are highly sensitive to signals that indicate a teacher's communicative intention and are biased to interpret communicative contexts as conveying relevant and generalizable knowledge that is also shared by other conspecifics. We investigated whether infants as young as 12 months interpret ostensively communicated object-directed emotion expressions as generalizable and shareable with others. Given that young infants pay particular attention to information about objects' functions, we were interested in whether the shareability assumption also holds for emotional attitudes toward functional features of unfamiliar objects. The results suggest that 12-month-olds (N=80) flexibly interpret another person's emotion displays toward unfamiliar artifacts either as object-centered and generalizable attitudes or as person-centered subjective attitudes, depending on the communicative characteristics of the learning context. Furthermore, the transfer of ostensively communicated information about the artifacts depended on their functional usability, which is consistent with infants' early sensitivity to function information in various areas of cognitive development. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impact of an informal learning science camp on urban, low socioeconomic status middle school students and participating teacher-leaders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Votaw, Nikki L.

Studies suggest that students have difficulty connecting science to their own lives (Lee & Fradd, 1998; Aikenhead, 1996). This difficulty results in a decline in students' attitudes toward science, leading to low science achievement. These factors result in fewer students interested in careers related to science, specifically for urban, minority students. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact that a ten day informal learning immersion science camp had on the participants, both urban, low-socioeconomic status middle school students and teacher-leaders. The students were incoming seventh grade students involved in a community-based scholar program designed to recruit and support socioeconomically disadvantaged, academically talented students. The teacher-leaders were professional educators working toward an advanced degree. This ten day camp included seven visits to different sites and complementary classroom-based activities. The purpose of the camp was to immerse the students in informal learning environments that affect their daily lives. Students and teacher-leaders visited facilities that provide public utility services (i.e. power plant, sewage treatment facility, and water company), zoo, large commercial cave system, planetarium, university based electrooptics and nanotechnology center, and forest and arboretum. These site visits were supported by activities that were provided by teacher-leaders. A model used as a framework for studying learning in the context of this ten day camp as Falk and Dierking's (2000) Contextual Model for Learning. This model described three basic intersecting elements that contributed to learning within the given context. The three contexts (personal, sociocultural, and physical) intersect affecting the learning that takes place. A mixed methodology design was employed to determine the impact of the camp on students' content knowledge and attitudes toward science. Qualitative data were collected to determine the impact of the camp on teacher-leaders' content knowledge and pedagogy. A variety of data sources were used including data collected before, during, and immediately following the camp as well as data collected several months after the conclusion of the camp. Results of the study indicated that both students and teacher-leaders were positively impacted by their experience at the camp. Data from the content assessments, interviews, and student journals indicate that students' content knowledge was enhanced and expanded through the learning of factual knowledge as well as understanding of the importance of broad scientific processes. Through their new experiences, students developed an awareness of the natural world and a foundation for future learning. Students also developed an awareness of science as it applies to their own lives. Data from students' letters to themselves, student interviews, and parent focus groups indicated that students' attitudes toward science were positively impacted through development of an increased resource appreciation, positive social experiences, and experiential sharing with others. Teacher-leader experiences with the camp also had positive results. Teacher-leaders entered the camp with a variety of unique personal contexts, and in spite of this variability each reported that this was a value-added experience for their teaching. These personal contexts helped to enhance the sociocultural context which provided a rich environment to support teacher-leader learning. Among the pedagogical impacts, teacher-leaders expressed enhanced teaching capacity through acquisition of: new classroom activities; new connections among science content; new stories and experiences to share with future classes; and new contexts for situating the understanding of science principles. Along with the positive impacts, teacher-leaders also identified and articulated several barriers to implementing site visits in their own classrooms. This camp is unique in that it is an immersion experience within informal learning contexts where seven sites were visited within ten days. It is also unique in that students and teacher-leaders were simultaneously experiencing most of these sites for the first time. This study has implications for science camp coordinators (i.e. university faculty), classroom teachers, and informal educators (i.e. museum, zoo, planetarium).

Job-sharing a clinical teacher's position: an evaluation.

PubMed

Williams, S; Murphy, L

1994-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects on staff of having two teachers share one clinical teaching position in their intensive care unit (ICU). Three, six and 12 months after the job-sharing arrangement was initiated, an 11 item questionnaire was distributed to 26 students in post-registration critical care courses, 41 clinical staff in ICU and 9 RN-managers with responsibilities for the unit. The overall response rate to the three questionnaires was 58%. All groups agreed that job-sharing was a viable alternative to full-time work. Three months after the shared position was initiated, there was uncertainty about the consistency of the teachers' performance and the adequacy of communication between them. Nine months later, there was a high level of positive responses to all areas of the teachers' performance. Most respondents felt they could approach either teacher and that more diverse ideas were generated by having two people in the teaching position.

The minerals and the light: Mineralogy and astronomy in the history of the homo sapiens sapiens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giovanna Giovine, Laura

2016-04-01

Since the end of the '90s, when the concept of competence was introduced in the education world, the debate on teaching assessment of competences is going on in the Italian school system. Nonetheless, first cycle and second cycle State Exams and national tests (INVALSI), yet have a focus on knowledge and skills. In the education field competence is defined as the capability to face requests and complex tasks effectively, using knowledge and skills acquired by study, research, observation and experience. The proposal formulated here is directed to turn disciplinary knowledge and skills to personal competences through educational and unitary teaching, in order to overcome the discontinuities between Primary school - Secondary school - Universities - the world of work. The ultimate goal is to preserve throughout the didactic course of teaching the wholeness and unitarily of personal competence of the student, who uses acquired disciplinary knowledge and skills in a personal fashion, neither mnemonic nor mechanical. The course of study may begin in the first class of lower secondary school and go on up to the fifth class of upper secondary school, with didactic laboratorial strategies and teaching strategies for competences, involving multiple disciplines. The recipients are the classes where a greater difficulty for students to integrate into the life of the School is registered, or the learned input-skills are of low or inadequate level, possibly with the presence of students with Special Educational Needs. In involved classes the collaboration and sharing of all teachers of the Class Council has been requested, in order to build an educational unitary course, centered on the concept of competence. Contents of the course: • The materials of the solid earth: minerals (physical and chemical properties, classification) • Percentages, graphics, angles, geometric solids, symmetry • Measurement units, speed and acceleration, mass and weight, pressure, energy, heat, temperature, density • States of matter: solid state and liquid state • The periodic table of elements, atoms and molecules • Mixtures Introduction to the course: • History informs sciences: newspapers and books dating back to the First World War are read in the classroom, mineral resources used in everyday life and the their mining locations, in cooperation with Geohistory and Italian teachers. • Discussion groups and "questioning" by the test "Is it useful to study the Mineralogy?" and input test with open-ended questions. • Experiments in the laboratory shared with Physics teacher: we observe a mineral (recognition, classification, chemical composition) • Theoretical lesson: natural sciences, physics and chemistry, with the support of the textbook and using material found by students in the Internet • Visit to the local museum with the teacher of Geometric Design or Art History or Technology or Geohistory • Brainstorming and project with support of LIM to view video-on lab and specific software • Experiments in the laboratory shared with the teacher of Mathematics: growing crystals (shape and symmetry, recognition and classification, chemical composition and structure of atoms) • Final report on experiments, possibly with research hypotheses.

Exploring Resource Sharing between Secondary School Teachers of Agriculture and Science Departments Nationally.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dormody, Thomas J.

1992-01-01

A survey of 372 secondary agriculture teachers received 274 responses showing a majority of agriculture and science departments share resources, although at low levels. Many more predicted future sharing. Equipment and supplies were most often shared, instructional services least often. (SK)

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

Genethics: project accountability via evaluation of teacher and student growth.

PubMed

Hendrix, J R; Mertens, T R

1992-10-01

Accountability through demonstrated learning is increasingly being demanded by agencies funding science education projects. For example, the National Science Foundation requires evidence of the educational impact of programs designed to increase the scientific understanding and competencies of teachers and their students. The purpose of this paper is to share our human genetics educational experiences and accountability model with colleagues interested in serving the genetics educational needs of in-service secondary school science teachers and their students. Our accountability model is facilitated through (1) identifying the educational needs of the population of teachers to be served, (2) articulating goals and measurable objectives to meet these needs, and (3) then designing and implementing pretest/posttest questions to measure whether the objectives have been achieved. Comparison of entry and exit levels of performance on a 50-item test showed that teacher-participants learned a statistically significant amount of genetics content in our NSF-funded workshops. Teachers, in turn, administered a 25-item pretest/posttest to their secondary school students, and collective data from 121 classrooms across the United States revealed statistically significant increases in student knowledge of genetics content. Methods describing our attempts to evaluate teachers' use of pedagogical techniques and bioethical decision-making skills are briefly addressed.

Internet Literacy of Vocational High School Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vernanda, D.; Abdullah, A. G.; Rohendi, D.

2018-02-01

Internet literacy is needed to know the development of the world in various things quickly and precisely, as well as in the world of education, especially teachers. Seeing the importance of internet literacy, there is an interest to discuss and analyze the level of internet literacy of teachers. The method used in this research is descriptive qualitative. The sample of research is vocational school teacher (SMK) as many as 99 respondents. Data are collected through questionnaires. The theory used is adopted from Suitable Learning Object Type (LRE APV4.7) and Three Elements of Literacy Digital. The result data of the questionnaire is processed and analyzed using Capability Maturity Model theory, the result of the research shows that the level of internet literacy of vocational teachers is at level 2, meaning that SMK teachers have used the internet many times to assist their daily activities and have pattern of repetition in internet utilization. The use of internet by teachers of SMK with various needs that support the process of teaching, communicating, sharing knowledge, but the most dominant is to communicate through social media. Factors affecting internet usage include age, gender, and employment status.

Polar Science: From the Field to the Classroom (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Neill, M.; O'Brien, K.

2010-12-01

The ARMADA Project was a National Science Foundation Project organized by the Office of Marine Programs of the University of Rhode Island. ARMADA connected scientists and teachers to conduct field research together and share directly with the classroom. In addition to the field research, ARMADA teachers mentored new science teachers to assist in teacher retention and presented at National Science Teachers’ Association National Conventions. As an ARMADA teacher, I participated in two polar research experiences. In 2007, I worked with scientists from the University of Barcelona, Spain in the Arctic off the coast of Svalbard conducting seafloor mapping and sediment core sampling. My second research experience was to Antarctica in 2009 with Dr. Kristin O’Brien and her team studying Antarctic Ice Fish and their tolerance to temperature change. Sharing ship time with Dr. O’Brien was a team of scientists from Duke University studying humpback whales and their feeding behaviors. I was able to join both research teams and share the information with students, colleagues and the community. Connecting directly with scientists in the field has not only increased my personal knowledge of polar science, but has been invaluable to my teaching efforts. While in the Arctic, I was able to conduct a telephone conference with my students and the lead scientist via the satellite phone. From Antarctica I connected with several classes from Fairhope High School in a “Live from Antarctica” video conference. I was able to take them on a “virtual tour” of Palmer Station and Dr. O’Brien and Dr. Crockett answered student questions about Antarctic Fish. During both expeditions, I maintained a daily blog that enable my students to follow along with my research experience. Being able to bring the most current scientific research into the classroom with these expeditions has been inspiring for the students, colleagues and community.

From Good to Great: Discussion Starter Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Great Teachers and Leaders, 2014

2014-01-01

In the report "From Good to Great: Exemplary Teachers Share Perspectives on Increasing Teacher Effectiveness across the Career Continuum," (See full report in ERIC at ED555657) National and State Teachers of the Year shared their views on what helped them become great teachers. This accompanying "Discussion Starter Tool" builds…

Children with Communication Impairments: Caregivers' and Teachers' Shared Book-Reading Quality and Children's Level of Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaderavek, Joan N.; Pentimonti, Jill M.; Justice, Laura M.

2014-01-01

This study addressed two aims: First, to examine the quality of adult shared book-reading behaviors for teachers and caregivers of children with communication impairments (CI) and, second, to compare the level of child literacy engagement during the teacher-led (group) and caregiver-led (one-on-one) shared book-reading sessions. Sixteen children…

``Who polluted the Potomac?'' The translation and implementation of a US environmental story in Brazilian and Turkish classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oliveira, Alandeom W.; Colak, Huseyin; Akerson, Valarie L.

2009-03-01

In this study we examine how elementary teachers in Brazil and Turkey approached the translation and subsequent classroom implementation of an instructional activity that promotes environmental awareness through a combination of student role playing and teacher oral delivery of an environmental story about river pollution. A discourse analysis showed that translation into Portuguese was literal, an approach that fostered a classroom implementation that emphasized detached transmission of knowledge (the teacher frequently interrupted her delivery to provide textual, contextual and recontextualizing information to students). In contrast, translation into Turkish was free, that is, with many modifications that led to a decontextualized and detached text. Implementation of this text was focused on the creation of student involvement, being dominated by oral strategies such as religious analogies (heaven and hell), and parallel repetitions of statements of shared guilt. Based on these findings, it was concluded that neither translation promoted an equivalent form of environmental instruction (i.e., involved transmission of environmental knowledge). Furthermore, an argument is made that effective translation requires that original and translated curricula foster analogous levels of involvement (or detachment) as well as equivalent forms of classroom relationships and social roles (pragmatic equivalence).

Physics & Preservice Teachers Partnership Project (P4): An interdisciplinary peer learning tool

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simmonds, Paul J.; Wenner, Julianne A.

Physics graduate students (PGs) and teacher candidates (TCs) often graduate with specific weaknesses. PGs frequently lack training in teaching and effective communication. TCs are typically underprepared for teaching science, and physics in particular. In response to these challenges, we created P4 . P4 is an innovative model for peer learning, creating interdisciplinary partnerships that help college physics instructors train their students in the ``soft skills'' prized in both academia and industry, while helping teacher educators infuse more content knowledge into science methods courses. In P4, PGs plan a lesson and deliver physics content to TCs. TCs then use this content to design and execute a 15-minute elementary science lesson. Framed by the concept of peer learning, we expected P4 would help PGs develop their teaching and communication skills, and TCs learn more physics. We studied the affordances and constraints of P4 to inform future iterations. Overall, P4 was successful, with both PGs and TCs reporting benefits. Affordances for PGs included the chance to plan and teach a class; TCs benefitted from working with experts to increase content knowledge. We will share the full findings and implications of our study, and outline next steps for P4.

One Model for Scientist Involvement in K-12 Education: Teachers Experiencing Antarctica and the Arctic Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meese, D.; Shipp, S. S.; Porter, M.; Bruccoli, A.

2002-12-01

Scientists involved in the NSF-funded Teachers Experiencing Antarctica and the Arctic (TEA) Program integrate a K-12 science teacher into their polar field project. Objectives of the program include: having the science teacher immersed in the experience of research; 2) through the teacher, leveraging the research experience to better inform teaching practices; and 3) sharing the experience with the broader educational and general community. The scientist - or qualified team member - stays involved with the teacher throughout the program as a mentor. Preparation of the teacher involves a week-long orientation presented by the TEA Program, and a two week pre-expedition visit at the scientist's institution. Orientation acquaints teachers with program expectations, logistical information, and an overview of polar science. While at the scientist's institution, the teacher meets the team, prepares for the field, and strengthens content knowledge. In the field, the teacher is a team member and educational liaison, responding to questions from students and colleagues by e-mail, and posting electronic journals describing the research experience. Upon return, the teachers work closely with colleagues to bring the experience of research into classrooms through creation of activities, design of longer-term student investigations, and presentations at scientific, educational, and community meetings. Interaction with the scientific team continues with a visit by the scientist to the teacher's classrooms, collaboration on presentations at scientific meetings, and consultation on classroom activities. In some cases, the teacher may participate in future expeditions. The involvement by scientists in mentor relationships, such as those of the TEA Program, is critical to improving science education. Many teachers of science have not had the opportunity to participate in field research, which offers valuable first-hand experience about the nature of science, as well as about specific content. The value to the scientist lies in deepening the understanding of current science education, increasing exposure to new ways to communicate information, and developing a path to having the research shared with the classroom and community via the TEA teacher's outreach. This long-term interaction between a scientist and a teacher can result in meaningful impact through increasing depth of understanding - not just about science content, but about the process of science. Equipped with this understanding based on experience, the teacher can multiply the impact with colleagues and students.

Videos as an Instructional Tool in Pre-Service Science Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sonmez, Duygu; Hakverdi-Can, Meral

2012-01-01

Problem Statement: Student teaching is an integral part of teacher education. While it provides preservice teachers with real classroom experience, though, it is limited in that it does not provide shared experience. Used as instructional tools, videos provide a shared common experience in a controlled environment to pre-service teachers in…

Student and Teacher Attendance: The Role of Shared Goods in Reducing Absenteeism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banerjee, Ritwik; King, Elizabeth M.; Orazem, Peter F.; Paterno, Elizabeth M.

2012-01-01

A theoretical model is advanced that demonstrates that, if teacher and student attendance generate a shared good, then teacher and student attendance will be mutually reinforcing. Using data from the Northwest Frontier Province of Pakistan, empirical evidence supporting that proposition is advanced. Controlling for the endogeneity of teacher and…

It ain't what you say, it's how you say it: linguistic and cultural diversity in the classroom.

PubMed

Robinson, Cynthia Cole; Clardy, Pauline

2011-01-01

The disparity between the cultural and linguistic diversity of the teaching population and the student population continues to grow as teacher education programs enroll and graduate primarily white teacher candidates (83.7%). At the same time, the diversity of the K-12 student body has increased with 65% of public school students being from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (National Center for Education Statistics, 2007). This chasm between the diversity of the teaching force and student population is of concern as many teachers report that they do not have the cultural knowledge and experience of working or living in diverse environments, yet will be faced with teaching a very diverse student population. Hence, the need for teacher candidates and current teachers to be explicitly taught the skills needed to successfully teach diverse student populations is urgent. In this article, we explore the following phenomena: how linguistic and cultural diversity is regarded in teacher education programs, as well as teacher candidates' and current K-12 teachers' dispositions towards students who do not share their cultural backgrounds or language (including those who vary in their dialects). Finally, we will present strategies that teacher educators can use to embrace and empower culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) teacher candidates, as well as prepare teacher candidates to teach diverse student populations.

Developing Membership in the Education of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students in Inclusive Settings.

PubMed

Antia, Shirin D; Stinson, Michael S; Gaustad, Martha Gonter

2002-01-01

This article discusses the importance of membership in the inclusive education of deaf/hard-of-hearing (D/HH) students. Membership refers to being an integral part of the classroom and school communities. Membership is a key philosophical concept in inclusion that may influence how classroom teachers and teachers of D/HH students share their expertise and how they work with students and each other. Membership can be contrasted with "visitorship." When programs treat D/HH students as visitors, these students face greater barriers to obtaining a quality education in classes with hearing students. A social constructivist perspective of learning and teaching that requires students in the classroom to interact with one another and the teacher may best promote learning and is consistent with a focus on membership. We suggest that inclusion is possible, but to sustain students as full members of their classes and school, programs must go beyond placement and communication access issues. To facilitate membership, inclusive programs must carefully address teacher attitudes, teacher roles and relationships, student knowledge and curriculum, structural barriers, extracurricular activities, community relationships, and parental support.

Examining the Relationship between Parental Involvement and Mobile Technology Use

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flowers, Toinette M.

Understanding how mobile devices can enhance parent/teacher communication is important because parents play an important part in their children's learning. Research on parents' use of mobile devices to communicate with their children's teachers is limited. The purpose of this cross-sectional correlational study was to determine the relationships between parents' (a) knowledge of using mobile devices, (b) general use of mobile devices, (c) purpose for using mobile devices, (d) perceived ease of using mobile devices, (e) perceived usefulness of mobile devices, (f) attitude toward using mobile devices, and (g) use of mobile devices to communicate with teachers. The study was informed by the technology acceptance model and used a participant pool of 73 parents of high school students attending a Title I high school in a large Midwestern city in the United States. Data were collected using an online survey and analyzed using Pearson's correlations. The study results indicate significant correlations between parents' use of mobile devices to communicate with teachers and knowledge of using mobile devices, purpose for using mobile devices, perceived ease of using mobile devices, perceived usefulness of mobile devices, and attitudes toward using mobile devices. These findings suggest that parental use of mobile devices to communicate with teachers can be enhanced by administrators and school personnel using strategies that consider parents' and the school culture. Social implication includes sharing the results of this study with district and school administrators who have the power to implement programs that encourage and support the use of mobile devices as a communication tool between parents and teachers, therefore increasing parental involvement and ultimately student academic success.

Analysing Teacher Knowledge for Technology Education in Primary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rohaan, Ellen J.; Taconis, Ruurd; Jochems, Wim M. G.

2012-01-01

Teacher knowledge guides a teacher's behaviour in the classroom. Teacher knowledge for technology education is generally assumed to play an important role in affecting pupils' learning in technology. There are an abundant number of teacher knowledge models that visualise different domains of teacher knowledge, but clear empirical evidence on how…

Designing for health in school buildings: between research and practice.

PubMed

Kirkeby, Inge Mette; Jensen, Bjarne Bruun; Larsen, Kristian; Kural, René

2015-05-01

To investigate the kinds of knowledge practitioners use when planning and designing for health in school buildings. Twelve semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with architects, teachers and officials to investigate use of knowledge in the making of school buildings. Practitioners drew on many kinds and sources of knowledge, but in particular they made use of concepts, examples or pictures or thought-provoking knowledge. However, the interviews indicate a number of hurdles for efficient knowledge sharing between research and practice: (1) a considerable discrepancy between kinds of knowledge used by practice and knowledge traditionally produced by research; (2) research-knowledge and practice-knowledge form two circuits and the flow from one circuit to the other is weak; (3) practitioners' knowledge was often based on experience and therefore person-dependent. It makes the knowledge vulnerable. Special attention has to be paid by research to concepts and principles to guide the decision-making in practice. Further is recommended to consider new kinds of collaboration between researchers and practitioners. © 2015 the Nordic Societies of Public Health.

Instructional leaders for all? High school science department heads and instructional leadership across all science disciplines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanborn, Stephen

Many high school science departments are responding to changes in state standards with respect to both curricular content and instructional practices. In the typical American high school organization, the academic department head is ideally positioned to influence change in the instructional practices of teachers within the department. Even though science department heads are well situated to provide leadership during this period of transition, the literature has not addressed the question of how well science department heads believe they can provide instructional leadership for all of the teachers in their department, whether they are teaching within and outside of the head's own sub-discipline. Nor is it known how science department heads view the role of pedagogical content knowledge in teaching different science disciplines. Using an online survey comprised of 26 objective questions and one open response question, a 54-respondent sample of science department heads provided no strong consensus regarding their beliefs about the role of pedagogical content knowledge in science instruction. However, science department heads expressed a significant difference in their views about their capacity to provide instructional leadership for teachers sharing their science content area compared to teachers instructing other science content areas. Given wide-spread science education reform efforts introduced in response to the Next Generation Science Standards, these findings may serve to provide some direction for determining how to best support the work of science department heads as they strive to provide instructional leadership for the teachers in their departments.

Working toward equitable opportunities for science students with disabilities: using professional development and technology.

PubMed

Bargerhuff, Mary Ellen; Cowan, Heidi; Kirch, Susan A

2010-01-01

As a result of federal legislation, adolescents with disabilities and other exceptionalities are increasingly included in science and math classes alongside their peers who are typically developing. The effectiveness of this placement option, however, is largely dependent on the skill level of the general educator and the support afforded to this teacher through various channels. Efforts arising from two National Science Foundation grants address both skill and support. Center's Lesson Adaptations for Student Success (CLASS) project used summer professional development opportunities to equip teachers with the knowledge and skills needed to provide students with physical, sensory and learning disabilities equitable access to laboratory and field experiences. Second, to support teachers back in their classrooms, the Ohio Resource Center's Lesson Adaptations for Student Success (OR-CLASS) uses web resources to share high quality, peer-reviewed lesson plans, complete with specific recommendations on adaptations for students with a variety of exceptional learning needs.

Finnish Cooperating Physics Teachers' Conceptions of Physics Teachers' Teacher Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Asikainen, Mervi A.; Hirvonen, Pekka E.

2010-01-01

This article examines Finnish cooperating physics teachers' conceptions of teacher knowledge in physics. Six experienced teachers were interviewed. The data was analyzed to form categories concerning the basis of teacher knowledge, and the tradition of German Didaktik and Shulman's theory of teacher knowledge were used in order to understand the…

Depth of Teachers' Knowledge: Frameworks for Teachers' Knowledge of Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holmes, Vicki-Lynn

2012-01-01

This article describes seven teacher knowledge frameworks and relates these frameworks to the teaching and assessment of elementary teacher's mathematics knowledge. The frameworks classify teachers' knowledge and provide a vocabulary and common language through which knowledge can be discussed and assessed. These frameworks are categorized into…

Exploring Science Teachers' Argumentation and Personal Epistemology About Global Climate Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Shiyu; Roehrig, Gillian

2017-06-01

This case study investigated the nature of in-service science teachers' argumentation and personal epistemology about global climate change during a 3-year professional development program on climate change education. Qualitative analysis of data from interviews and written assessments revealed that while these teachers grounded their arguments on climate issues in evidence, the evidence was often insufficient to justify their causal claims. Compared with generating arguments for their own views, teachers had more difficulties in constructing evidence-based arguments for alternative perspectives. Moreover, while these teachers shared some similarities in their epistemology about climate science, they varied in their beliefs about specific aspects such as scientists' expertise and the credibility of scientific evidence. Such similarities and distinctions were shown to relate to how teachers used evidence to justify claims in their arguments. The findings also suggested a mismatch between teachers' personal epistemology about science in general and climate science, which was revealed through their argumentation. This work helps to further the ongoing discussions in environmental education about what knowledge and skills teachers need in order to teach climate issues and prepare students for future decision making. It constitutes first steps to facilitate reasoning and argumentation in climate change education and provides important implications for future design of professional development programs.

Exploring Biology Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge in the Teaching of Genetics in Swaziland Science Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mthethwa-Kunene, Eunice; Oke Onwu, Gilbert; de Villiers, Rian

2015-05-01

This study explored the pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and its development of four experienced biology teachers in the context of teaching school genetics. PCK was defined in terms of teacher content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge and knowledge of students' preconceptions and learning difficulties. Data sources of teacher knowledge base included teacher-constructed concept maps, pre- and post-lesson teacher interviews, video-recorded genetics lessons, post-lesson teacher questionnaire and document analysis of teacher's reflective journals and students' work samples. The results showed that the teachers' individual PCK profiles consisted predominantly of declarative and procedural content knowledge in teaching basic genetics concepts. Conditional knowledge, which is a type of meta-knowledge for blending together declarative and procedural knowledge, was also demonstrated by some teachers. Furthermore, the teachers used topic-specific instructional strategies such as context-based teaching, illustrations, peer teaching, and analogies in diverse forms but failed to use physical models and individual or group student experimental activities to assist students' internalization of the concepts. The finding that all four teachers lacked knowledge of students' genetics-related preconceptions was equally significant. Formal university education, school context, journal reflection and professional development programmes were considered as contributing to the teachers' continuing PCK development. Implications of the findings for biology teacher education are briefly discussed.

Measuring Teachers' Knowledge about Early Language and Literacy: Practical Implications and Considerations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hindman, Annemarie H.; Wasik, Barbara A.

2011-01-01

This study examined 1 tool for evaluating Head Start teachers' knowledge about early language and literacy. Results indicated that teachers varied in their knowledge. Teachers with more knowledge had more education, as did teachers who received language and literacy professional development. Teachers with greater knowledge also demonstrated higher…

How Education Affects Mathematics Teachers' Knowledge: Unpacking Selected Aspects of Teacher Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koponen, Mika; Asikainen, Mervi A.; Viholainen, Antti; Hirvonen, Pekka E.

2017-01-01

It is no surprise that all mathematics teacher education programs attempt to increase future teachers' knowledge, since teachers' knowledge has an effect not only on their teaching but also on their students' achievements. However, measuring the relationship between teachers' knowledge and their education is overly demanding. In this study we…

Teacher Perceptions of the Integration of Laptop Computers in Their High School Biology Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gundy, Morag S.

2011-12-01

Studies indicate that teachers, and in particular science teachers in the senior high school grades, do not integrate laptop computers into their instruction to the extent anticipated by researchers. This technology has not spread easily to other teachers even with improved access to hardware and software, increased support, and a paradigm shift from teacher-centred to student-centred education. Although a number of studies have focused on the issues and problems related to the integration of laptops in classroom instruction, these studies, largely quantitative in nature, have tended to bypass the role teachers play in integrating laptop computers into their instruction. This thesis documents and describes the role of Ontario high school science teachers in the integration of laptop computers in the classroom. Ten teachers who have successfully integrated laptop computers into their biology courses participated in this descriptive study. Their perceptions of implementing laptops into their biology courses, key factors about the implementation process, and how the implementation was accomplished are examined. The study also identifies the conditions which they feel would allow this innovation to be implemented by other teachers. Key findings of the study indicate that teachers must initiate, implement and sustain an emergent and still evolving innovation; teacher perceptions change and continue to change with increased experience using laptops in the science classroom; changes in teaching approaches are significant as a result of the introduction of laptop technology; and, the teachers considered the acquisition and use of new teaching materials to be an important aspect of integrating laptop computers into instruction. Ongoing challenges for appropriate professional development, sharing of knowledge, skills and teaching materials are identified. The study provides a body of practical knowledge for biology teachers who are considering the integration of laptops into their instruction. The results are of interest to science teachers, those whose decisions affect the meaningful integration of technology in science education, those researching the teaching of science in secondary schools and those who prepare science graduates to teach at this level. Key Words: innovation, laptop, computer, biology, science, secondary, implementation, perceptions, instruction, professional development, qualitative, descriptive.

Characteristics of effective professional development for early career science teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simon, Shirley; Campbell, Sandra; Johnson, Sally; Stylianidou, Fani

2011-04-01

The research reported here set out to investigate the features in schools and science departments that were seen as effective in contributing to the continuing professional development (CPD) of early career science teachers. Ten schools took part in the study, selected on the basis of their reputation for having effective CPD practices. To gain different perspectives from within the organisations we conducted interviews with senior members of staff, heads of science departments and early career teachers. A thematic analysis of the interviews is presented, drawing on findings from across the 10 schools, and exemplified in more detail by a vignette to show specific features of effective CPD practice. The study has revealed a wealth of practice across the 10 schools, which included a focus on broadening experience beyond the classroom, having an open, sharing, non-threatening culture and systemic procedures for mentoring and support that involved ring-fenced budgets. The schools also deployed staff judiciously in critical roles that model practice and motivate early career science teachers. Early career teachers were concerned primarily with their overall development as teachers, though some science specific examples such as observing practical work and sessions to address subject knowledge were seen as important.

K-12 Professional Development at the Harvard Forest LTER

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bennett, K.

2012-12-01

As part of the Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) program, the Harvard Forest in Petersham, Massachusetts seeks to train the next generation of researchers, by involving K-12 grade students and their teachers in hands-on, field-based, ecological research in their own schoolyard and community. Students learn to collect data on important long-term ecological issues and processes. Student data are then shared on the Harvard Forest website. To prepare teachers for project protocols, teachers are given direct access to Harvard ecologists with professional development workshops and on-line resources. With the Harvard Forest Schoolyard LTER program, students can participate in three different research projects focusing on phenology, invasive insects, and vernal pools. Teachers attend the Summer Institute for Teachers to learn project content and methods. They return in fall to participate in one of three levels of data workshops to learn how to input, manage, and analyze project data. In the spring, teachers again meet with the Harvard ecologists about project protocols, and to share, through a series of teacher presentations, the ways these project themes are being integrated into class curricula. These professional development opportunities result in long term collaborative partnerships with local schools and the Harvard Forest LTER. In addition to the LTER Schoolyard Ecology Program, the Harvard Forest has supported a successful Research Experience for Teachers (RET) program for the last six years. Throughout the summer, teachers work on research projects alongside Harvard Forest and affiliated scientists, post-docs, graduate students, and REU's (Research Experience for Undergraduates). The RET program provides teachers with the opportunity to build scientific knowledge, develop an understanding of research methods, and translate their new knowledge and experiences into cutting edge classroom lessons. The past two summers I have worked with Dr. Andrew Richardson's Phenocam project, a network of near remote sensing digital phenology cameras that send images of forest, shrub, and grassland vegetation cover at more than 130 diverse sites in North America to the digital archives at the University of New Hampshire. Our school district is now part of this network providing a digital image every half hour of the mixed deciduous/ coniferous forest canopy due north from Overlook Middle School in Ashburnham, Massachusetts. As a part of the Phenocam network, students at the K-12 level have expanded the scope of phenological monitoring that is part of the Harvard Forest LTER Schoolyard Ecology Program protocol, Buds, Leaves, and Global Warming. I have developed a series of lessons comparing student data to phenology data derived from Phenocam network images and Modis satellites. The Phenocam Project and the RET program is supported by NASA.

Conceptualising GP teachers' knowledge: a pedagogical content knowledge perspective.

PubMed

Cantillon, Peter; de Grave, Willem

2012-05-01

Most teacher development initiatives focus on enhancing knowledge of teaching (pedagogy), whilst largely ignoring other important features of teacher knowledge such as subject matter knowledge and awareness of the learning context. Furthermore, teachers' ability to learn from faculty development interventions is limited by their existing (often implicit) pedagogical knowledge and beliefs. Pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) represents a model of teacher knowledge incorporating what they know about subject matter, pedagogy and context. PCK can be used to explore teachers' prior knowledge and to structure faculty development programmes so that they take account of a broader range of teachers' knowledge. We set out to examine the application of a PCK model in a general practice education setting. This study is part of a larger study that employed a mixed method approach (concept mapping, phenomenological interviews and video-stimulated recall) to explore features of GP teachers' subject matter knowledge, pedagogical knowledge and knowledge of the learning environment in the context of a general practice tutorial. This paper presents data on GP teachers' pedagogical and context knowledge. There was considerable overlap between different GP teachers' knowledge and beliefs about learners and the clinical learning environment (i.e. knowledge of context). The teachers' beliefs about learners were largely based on assumptions derived from their own student experiences. There were stark differences, however, between teachers in terms of pedagogical knowledge, particularly in terms of their teaching orientations (i.e. transmission or facilitation orientation) and this was manifest in their teaching behaviours. PCK represents a useful model for conceptualising clinical teacher prior knowledge in three domains, namely subject matter, learning context and pedagogy. It can and should be used as a simple guiding framework by faculty developers to inform the design and delivery of their faculty development programmes.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2013-07-01

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

Knowledge capture and the retirement of the director of finance: succession planning in the San Mateo County Human Services Agency.

PubMed

Winship, Kathy

2012-01-01

Concern over the impending retirement of several top-level managers led a county agency to engage in efforts aimed at more efficient succession management. Administrators developed plans to prevent the loss of invaluable knowledge and wisdom accompanying retirement of experienced agency leaders. The agency's Director of Finance (DoF) was one of the first key figures projected to retire, and a succession plan was implemented to transfer his knowledge for use after his departure. The knowledge transfer process involved three stages, including: (1) employing the DoF as teacher, having him develop curricula and conduct trainings; (2) engaging the DoF as mentor, allowing an existing staff member and the DoF's successor to shadow and be coached by the DoF; and (3) developing a knowledge management system that could be used after the DoF departed. This case study describes the knowledge transfer process and experiences shared by the DoF and this agency. Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

On the different "worlds" of intra-organizational knowledge management: Understanding idiosyncratic variation in MNC cross-site knowledge-sharing practices.

PubMed

Kasper, Helmut; Lehrer, Mark; Mühlbacher, Jürgen; Müller, Barbara

2013-02-01

This qualitative field study investigated cross-site knowledge sharing in a small sample of multinational corporations in three different MNC business contexts (global, multidomestic, transnational). The results disclose heterogeneous "worlds" of MNC knowledge sharing, ultimately raising the question as to whether the whole concept of MNC knowledge sharing covers a sufficiently unitary phenomenon to be meaningful. We derive a non-exhaustive typology of MNC knowledge-sharing practices: self-organizing knowledge sharing, technocratic knowledge sharing, and best practice knowledge sharing. Despite its limitations, this typology helps to elucidate a number of issues, including the latent conflict between two disparate theories of MNC knowledge sharing, namely "sender-receiver" and "social learning" theories (Noorderhaven & Harzing, 2009). More generally, we develop the term "knowledge contextualization" to highlight the way that firm-specific organizational features pre-define which knowledge is considered to be of special relevance for intra-organizational sharing.

Professional development by scientists and teachers' understanding of the nature of science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schuster, Dwight A.

The educational literature suggests that the success of professional development is contingent upon both a professional developer's presentation of the curriculum and his/her comprehension of the complex interactions that occur between instructor and the adult learner. While these suggestions appear forthright and logical, very little research has been conducted to demarcate how professional development approaches defined by these notions impact teacher knowledge. This study investigates the effects of scientist-delivered teacher professional development on teachers' understanding of the nature of science. Using a mixed-method comparative case study, my goal was to build theory focusing specifically on two dimensions of professional development: the pedagogical approaches used by the scientist-instructors and their views/treatment of teachers as professionals or as technicians. Seven credit-bearing summer courses from multiple scientific disciplines were studied, and each course shared a number of important features (duration, general format, teacher recruitment and admission, location, number of participants, etc.); consequently, they comprise a unique dataset for comparative research on science teacher professional development. A wide variety of data collection approaches were used, including interviews, questionnaires, a VNOS instrument, and systematic classroom observation by ten trained observers (each course was continuously observed by at least two observers). Analysis shows that teachers were more likely to experience change in their views about the nature of science in courses in which they were treated as professionals, compared to courses in which they were treated as technicians. It also shows that syllabi and participant reports tend to overstate the use of inquiry methods when reviewed in the light of close classroom observation. By recognizing and defining professional development contexts that build teachers' knowledge, this study suggests how university-based professional development for science educators can be improved, helping to actualize the collaborative relationships that need to exist between staff developers and discipline specialists. In conclusion, I use the findings from this study to expand the current literature and suggest how improved university-based professional development contexts can be created.

Teacher Knowledge: A Complex Tapestry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adoniou, Misty

2015-01-01

Teachers need to know a great deal, in many areas and in multiple ways. Teacher knowledge is a complex tapestry, and teachers must successfully weave the multiple threads. In this article, I present a conceptualisation of teacher knowledge that provides a framework for describing the complexity of teacher knowledge. The framework describes three…

Community preceptors' views of their identities as teachers.

PubMed

Starr, Susan; Ferguson, Warren J; Haley, Heather-Lyn; Quirk, Mark

2003-08-01

Community physicians are increasingly being recruited to teach medical students and residents, yet there has been little research about how they think of themselves as teachers or what factors contribute to "teacher identity." Physicians who think of themselves as teachers may be more likely to enjoy teaching, to teach more, and to be recognized by students and other faculty as good teachers. Identifying factors that enhance teacher identity may be helpful for the recruitment and retention of high-quality community faculty. Thirty-five experienced community preceptors were audiotaped in five structured focus groups in April 2001, answering a series of questions about their teacher identity. Responses were qualitatively analyzed for evidence of themes. "Feeling intrinsic satisfaction" was the most common theme that emerged from the tapes. Preceptors also identified that "having knowledge and skill about teaching" and "belonging to a group of teacher" enhanced their roles as teachers. "Being a physician means being a teacher," "feeling a responsibility to teach medicine," and "sharing clinical expertise" also emerged as important themes. Although a group of participants were interested in "receiving rewards for teaching," rewards did not need to be financial compensation. For some, genuine recognition for their efforts by the medical school, particularly in the form of faculty development opportunities, constituted reward and recognition for teaching. Community physicians described a variety of factors that contribute to their identity as teachers. Faculty development programs offer opportunities to strengthen teacher identity and foster relationships between teaching programs and community-based faculty.

Building Future Directions for Teacher Learning in Science Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Kathy; Lindsay, Simon

2016-04-01

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

What does it mean to be a good teacher and clinical supervisor in medical education?

PubMed

Stenfors-Hayes, Terese; Hult, Håkan; Dahlgren, Lars Owe

2011-05-01

The aim of this study was to describe the different ways medical teachers understand what constitutes a good teacher and a good clinical supervisor and what similarities and differences they report between them. Data was gathered through interviews with 39 undergraduate teachers at a medical university. The transcripts were analysed using a phenomenographic approach. Three categories regarding what it means to be a good teacher and clinical supervisor respectively were identified. Similarities between the two hierarchies were seen with the most inclusive categories of understanding what it means to be a good teacher or supervisor focuses on students' learning or growth. In the third category a good teacher and supervisor is seen as someone who conveys knowledge or shows how things are done. However, the role of being a clinical supervisor was perceived as containing a clearer focus on professional development and role modelling than the teacher role did. This is shown in the middle category where a good clinical supervisor is understood as a role model and someone who shares what it is like to be a doctor. The middle category of understanding what it means to be a good teacher instead focussing on the teacher as someone who responds to students' content requests in a partially student-centred perspective. In comparing the ways individual respondents understood the two roles, this study also implies that teachers appear to compartmentalise their roles as teachers and clinical supervisors respectively.

Teachers' literacy-related knowledge and self-perceptions in relation to preparation and experience.

PubMed

Spear-Swerling, Louise; Brucker, Pamela Owen; Alfano, Michael P

2005-12-01

After rating their own literacy-related knowledge in three areas (knowledge about reading/reading development, phonemic awareness/phonics, and morpheme awareness/structural analysis), graduate teacher-education students completed five tasks intended to measure their actual disciplinary knowledge in these areas. Teachers with high levels of prior background (i.e., course preparation and experience) rated themselves as significantly more knowledgeable than did low-background teachers in all areas; high-background participants also significantly outperformed low-background participants on all tasks. However, even high-background teachers scored well below ceiling on the tasks. Regression analyses indicated that teachers' self-perceptions and knowledge were positively influenced by both level of preparation and teaching experience, although the influences on teachers' knowledge differed by task. Teachers had some accurate perceptions of their own knowledge, especially in the area of phonics. Results suggest that differentiating levels of preparation may be useful in studying teacher knowledge, and also support the notion of a substantial gap between research on reading and teacher preparation in reading.

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…

Developing and Validating a Survey of Korean Early Childhood English Teachers' Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Jung In

2015-01-01

The main purpose of this study is to develop and validate a valid measure of the early childhood (EC) English teacher knowledge. Through extensive literature review on second/foreign language (L2/FL) teacher knowledge, early childhood teacher knowledge and early childhood language teacher knowledge, and semi-structured interviews from current…

Developing and evaluating a paper-and-pencil test to assess components of physics teachers' pedagogical content knowledge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirschner, Sophie; Borowski, Andreas; Fischer, Hans E.; Gess-Newsome, Julie; von Aufschnaiter, Claudia

2016-05-01

Teachers' professional knowledge is assumed to be a key variable for effective teaching. As teacher education has the goal to enhance professional knowledge of current and future teachers, this knowledge should be described and assessed. Nevertheless, only a limited number of studies quantitatively measures physics teachers' professional knowledge. The study reported in this paper was part of a bigger project with the broader goal of understanding teacher professional knowledge. We designed a test instrument to assess the professional knowledge of physics teachers (N = 186) in the dimensions of content knowledge (CK), pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), and pedagogical knowledge (PK). A model describing the relationships between these three dimensions of professional knowledge was created to inform the design of the tests used to measure CK, PCK, and PK. In this paper, we describe the model with particular emphasis on the PCK part, and the subsequent PCK test development and its implementation in detail. We report different approaches to evaluate the PCK test, including the description of content validity, the examination of the internal structure of professional knowledge, and the analysis of construct validity by testing teachers across different school subjects, teachers from different school types, pre-service teachers, and physicists. Our findings demonstrate that our PCK test results could distinguish physics teachers from the other groups tested. The PCK test results could not be explained by teachers' CK or PK, cognitive abilities, computational skills, or science knowledge.

Job Sharing: Is It for You?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schumann, Linda

1994-01-01

A teacher of deaf children describes her experience with job sharing at both the intermediate grade and preschool levels. The important role played by the full-time teacher's aide in providing continuity as well as the importance of communication are emphasized. Guidelines and answers to common questions regarding job sharing are offered. (DB)

On the different “worlds” of intra-organizational knowledge management: Understanding idiosyncratic variation in MNC cross-site knowledge-sharing practices

PubMed Central

Kasper, Helmut; Lehrer, Mark; Mühlbacher, Jürgen; Müller, Barbara

2013-01-01

This qualitative field study investigated cross-site knowledge sharing in a small sample of multinational corporations in three different MNC business contexts (global, multidomestic, transnational). The results disclose heterogeneous “worlds” of MNC knowledge sharing, ultimately raising the question as to whether the whole concept of MNC knowledge sharing covers a sufficiently unitary phenomenon to be meaningful. We derive a non-exhaustive typology of MNC knowledge-sharing practices: self-organizing knowledge sharing, technocratic knowledge sharing, and best practice knowledge sharing. Despite its limitations, this typology helps to elucidate a number of issues, including the latent conflict between two disparate theories of MNC knowledge sharing, namely “sender–receiver” and “social learning” theories (Noorderhaven & Harzing, 2009). More generally, we develop the term “knowledge contextualization” to highlight the way that firm-specific organizational features pre-define which knowledge is considered to be of special relevance for intra-organizational sharing. PMID:27087759

The etiology of behavior problems in 7-year-old twins: substantial genetic influence and negligible shared environmental influence for parent ratings and ratings by same and different teachers.

PubMed

Saudino, Kimberly J; Ronald, Angelica; Plomin, Robert

2005-02-01

Parent ratings of behavior problems in childhood show substantial genetic influence and modest shared environmental influence. However, few studies have compared these results to teacher ratings and no previous studies have compared same-teacher ratings to different-teacher ratings. 3,714 7-year-old twin pairs in the Twins Early Development Study were rated by parents and teachers on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Substantial heritability and negligible shared environmental influence were found for data from all three raters for total behavior problems, hyperactivity, prosocial behavior, peer problems, conduct problems, and emotional symptoms. Sex-limitation models revealed similar results for males and females, although there was some evidence for greater heritability for boys, especially when twins were rated by the same teacher.

Exploring Biology Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge in the Teaching of Genetics in Swaziland Science Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mthethwa-Kunene, Eunice; Onwu, Gilbert Oke; de Villiers, Rian

2015-01-01

This study explored the pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and its development of four experienced biology teachers in the context of teaching school genetics. PCK was defined in terms of teacher content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge and knowledge of students' preconceptions and learning difficulties. Data sources of teacher knowledge base…

Disciplinary knowledge of K-3 teachers and their knowledge calibration in the domain of early literacy.

PubMed

Cunningham, Anne E; Perry, Kathryn E; Stanovich, Keith E; Stanovich, Paula J

2004-06-01

Recently, investigators have begun to pay increasing attention to the role of teachers' domain specific knowledge in the area of reading, and its implications for both classroom practice and student learning. The aims of the present study were to assess kindergarten to third-grade teachers' actual and perceived reading-related subject matter knowledge, and to investigate the extent to which teachers calibrate their reading related subject matter knowledge by examining relationships between actual and perceived knowledge. Results indicated that while teachers demonstrated limited knowledge of children's literature, phoneme awareness, and phonics, the majority of these same teachers evaluated their knowledge levels quite positively. Teachers demonstrated some ability to calibrate their own knowledge levels in the area of children's literature, yet they were poorly calibrated in the domains of phoneme awareness and phonics. These findings suggest that teachers tend to overestimate their reading related subject matter knowledge and are often unaware of what they know and do not know. Implications for the design of teacher education at both the preservice and inservice levels are discussed.

Examining the Intellectual Biography of Pre-Service Teachers: Elements of "Critical" Teacher Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salinas, Cinthia; Blevins, Brooke

2013-01-01

Teacher knowledge, the sources of that knowledge, and the day-to-day use of that knowledge have become focal points of contemporary research on teacher education. As this body of research has found, a teacher's knowledge base and her subsequent practice is a composite of her beliefs and identities (Britzman, 2003), experiences (Lortie, 1975),…

What Is the Current Level of Asthma Knowledge in Elementary, Middle, and High School Teachers?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carey, Stephen

2013-01-01

This study examined teacher asthma knowledge based on three areas including (a) the level of teacher asthma knowledge in the Maury County Public School System, (b) the level of teacher asthma knowledge based on five demographic factors, and (c) the level of teacher asthma knowledge in the Maury County Public School System compared with teacher…

Exploring Teacher Knowledge in Multilingual First-Year Composition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Racelis, Juval V.

2017-01-01

This project examines how writing teachers of multilingual students conceptualize their pedagogical practices. Specifically, it draws on work in teacher cognition research to examine the nature of teacher knowledge and the unique characteristics of this knowledge specific to the teaching of second language writing. Seeing teacher knowledge as…

See, Say, Write: A Writing Routine for the Preschool Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Copp, Stefanie B.; Cabell, Sonia Q.; Tortorelli, Laura S.

2016-01-01

See, Say, Write is an adaptable classroom writing routine that teachers can use across a range of activities in the preschool classroom. This preschool writing routine offers an opportunity for teachers to build on a shared experience through engagement in rich conversation and writing. After a shared experience, teachers will provide a visual…

Teachers from Five Nations Share Perspectives on Culture and Citizenship

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sunal, Cynthia Szymanski; Christensen, Lois McFadyen; Shwery, Craig S.; Lovorn, Michael; Sunal, Dennis W.

2010-01-01

Online discussions enabled preK-12 teachers (n = 125) from five nations (Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, and the United States) to share their perspectives of culture and citizenship and the intersections of those concepts. Discussion moved between elements of personal and others' theory into effects of theory on practice. Teachers identified…

Unraveling the development of scientific literacy: Domain-specific inquiry support in a system of cognitive and social interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tabak, Iris Ellen

The goal of this dissertation was to study how to harness technological tools in service of establishing a climate of inquiry in science classrooms. The research is a design experiment drawing on sociocultural and cognitive theory. As part of the BGuILE project, I developed software to support observational research of natural selection, and a complementary high school unit on evolution. Focusing on urban schools, I employed interpretive methods to examine learning as it unfolds in the classroom. I present design principles for realizing a climate of inquiry in technology-infused classrooms. This research contributes to technology design, teaching practice and educational and cognitive research. My pedagogical approach, Domain-Specific Strategic Support (DSSS), helps students analyze and synthesize primary data by making experts' considerations of content knowledge explicit. Students query data by constructing questions from a selection of comparison and variable types that are privileged in the domain. Students organize their data according to evidence categories that comprise a natural selection argument. I compared the inquiry process of contrastive cases: an honor group, a regular group and a lower track group. DSSS enabled students at different achievement levels to set up systematic comparisons, and construct empirically-based explanations. Prior knowledge and inquiry experience influenced spontaneous strategy use. Teacher guidance compensated for lack of experience, and enabled regular level students to employ strategies as frequently as honor students. I extend earlier research by proposing a taxonomy of both general and domain-specific reflective inquiry strategies. I argue that software, teacher and curriculum work in concert to sustain a climate of inquiry. Teachers help realize the potential that technological tools invite. Teachers reinforce software supports by encouraging students utilize technological tools, and by modeling their use. They also establish classroom norms that reflect scientific values. Discussions at the computer allow teachers to provide just-in-time guidance on inquiry actions. Whole class discussions afford sharing insights across groups, and relating finding to normative knowledge. Pretest to posttest improvements in both conceptual and strategic knowledge suggest that DSSS helps reconcile the tension that can exist between content and process goals in inquiry settings.

Understanding Social OER Environments--A Quantitative Study on Factors Influencing the Motivation to Share and Collaborate

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pirkkalainen, Henri; Jokinen, Jussi P. P.; Pawlowski, Jan M.

2014-01-01

Social software environments are increasingly used for open education: teachers and learners share and collaborate in these environments. While there are various possibilities for the inclusion of such social functionalities for OER, many organizational, individual and technological challenges can hinder the motivation of teachers to share and…

Looking through the lenses of science literacy and cultural diversity: learning from Helena's mistake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chinn, Pauline W. U.

2012-06-01

Maria Andrée focuses on an immigrant student whose error in a laboratory activity leads to a novel, colorful outcome that she excitedly shares with peers. After engaging in class activities for a few weeks she returns to her earlier dislike of science, saying: "I hate science, particularly Chemistry." The classroom activity system focused on reproduction of school knowledge did not expand to accommodate Helena's "new activity system with an object of learning science." This essay suggests teachers be prepared to teach diverse students in ways supporting multiple ways to engage in science. This becomes possible when teachers view their classrooms as dynamic, participatory activity systems that support content mastery as contributing to but not being identical to science identity and science literacy.

Engaging in vocabulary learning in science: the promise of multimodal instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Townsend, Dianna; Brock, Cynthia; Morrison, Jennifer D.

2018-02-01

To a science 'outsider', science language often appears unnecessarily technical and dense. However, scientific language is typically used with the goal of being concise and precise, which allows those who regularly participate in scientific discourse communities to learn from each other and build upon existing scientific knowledge. One essential component of science language is the academic vocabulary that characterises it. This mixed-methods study investigates middle school students' (N = 59) growth in academic vocabulary as it relates to their teacher's instructional practices that supported academic language development. Students made significant gains in their production of general academic words, t(57) = 2.32, p = .024 and of discipline-specific science words, t(57) = 3.01, p = .004 in science writing. Results from the qualitative strand of this inquiry contextualised the students' learning of academic vocabulary as it relates to their teacher's instructional practices and intentions as well as the students' perceptions of their learning environment. These qualitative findings reveal that both the students and their teacher articulated that the teacher's intentional use of resources supported students' academic vocabulary growth. Implications for research and instruction with science language are shared.

Science teacher's perception about science learning experiences as a foundation for teacher training program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tapilouw, Marisa Christina; Firman, Harry; Redjeki, Sri; Chandra, Didi Teguh

2017-05-01

Teacher training is one form of continuous professional development. Before organizing teacher training (material, time frame), a survey about teacher's need has to be done. Science teacher's perception about science learning in the classroom, the most difficult learning model, difficulties of lesson plan would be a good input for teacher training program. This survey conducted in June 2016. About 23 science teacher filled in the questionnaire. The core of questions are training participation, the most difficult science subject matter, the most difficult learning model, the difficulties of making lesson plan, knowledge of integrated science and problem based learning. Mostly, experienced teacher participated training once a year. Science training is very important to enhance professional competency and to improve the way of teaching. The difficulties of subject matter depend on teacher's education background. The physics subject matter in class VIII and IX are difficult to teach for most respondent because of many formulas and abstract. Respondents found difficulties in making lesson plan, in term of choosing the right learning model for some subject matter. Based on the result, inquiry, cooperative, practice are frequently used in science class. Integrated science is understood as a mix between Biology, Physics and Chemistry concepts. On the other hand, respondents argue that problem based learning was difficult especially in finding contextual problem. All the questionnaire result can be used as an input for teacher training program in order to enhanced teacher's competency. Difficult concepts, integrated science, teaching plan, problem based learning can be shared in teacher training.

Factors Influencing Knowledge Sharing among Undergraduate Students: A Malaysian Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ong, Hway-Boon; Yeap, Peik-Foong; Tan, Siow-Hooi; Chong, Lee-Lee

2011-01-01

Knowledge sharing can enhance learning and help to build the knowledge workforce. This paper reports on a study of knowledge sharing behaviour among undergraduate students in Malaysia. Knowledge sharing was found to be influenced by the mechanisms used, various barriers to communication and the motivations behind knowledge sharing. The mechanisms…

Pre-Service Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge: Implications for Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marshman, Margaret; Porter, Glorianne

2013-01-01

Effective teachers have good pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). Pedagogical content knowledge is the intersection of discipline specific content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge. How effectively are pre-service teachers helped to develop good PCK? In this project we asked our pre-service teachers how they would respond to a particular student…

Is Teacher Knowledge Associated with Performance? On the Relationship between Teachers' General Pedagogical Knowledge and Instructional Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

König, Johannes; Pflanzl, Barbara

2016-01-01

Researchers have identified general pedagogical knowledge (GPK) as a relevant category of teacher knowledge. However, hardly any study has examined the relationship between GPK of teachers and the instructional quality delivered to their students. This article therefore investigates the relationship between teachers' GPK assessed via a…

Examination of Lower Secondary Mathematics Teachers' Content Knowledge and Its Connection to Students' Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tchoshanov, Mourat; Cruz, Maria D.; Huereca, Karla; Shakirova, Kadriya; Shakirova, Liliana; Ibragimova, Elena N.

2017-01-01

This mixed methods study examined an association between cognitive types of teachers' mathematical content knowledge and students' performance in lower secondary schools (grades 5 through 9). Teachers (N = 90) completed the Teacher Content Knowledge Survey (TCKS), which consisted of items measuring different cognitive types of teacher knowledge.…

Assessing the Effects of Teachers' Reading Knowledge on Students' Achievement Using Multilevel Propensity Score Stratification

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelcey, Ben

2011-01-01

This study investigated the relationship of teachers' reading knowledge with students' reading achievement using a direct teacher knowledge assessment rather than indirect proxies (e.g., certification). To address the inequitable distribution of teachers' knowledge resulting from differences in teachers' backgrounds and the disparities in how…

Tsé na'alkaah: Weaving Native and Mainstream Earth and Environmental Science into Place-Based Teacher Professional Development on the Colorado Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Semken, S. C.; Godsey, H. S.; Tsosie, W. B., Jr.

2017-12-01

Place-based, culturally-integrated approaches to teaching geoscience and environmental science are aligned with traditional indigenous education, and illustrate the premise that leveraging the cultural capital of Native Americans and other underrepresented groups renders more inclusive and relevant teaching. Situating learning within local landscapes, environments, and communities; and meaningfully connecting mainstream science with Native science and knowledge of place enables students to construct new knowledge that is scaffolded by their own worldview and experiences, and helps lessen any sense of discontinuity that may arise from apparently disparate interpretations of Earth processes. We drew on this philosophy in implementing a multi-year program of summer professional-development workshops for K-12 teachers in the Colorado Plateau and Intermountain regions, many of whom work in schools that serve majority Native American student populations. Through collaboration of geoscientists, Diné (Navajo) cultural experts, and master teachers, we developed and implemented inquiry-rich field excursions in which learning about Earth-system features and processes on the Plateau utilized factual and conceptual knowledge from mainstream geoscience and Diné geoscience (tsé na'alkaah) alike, as well as on other forms of local place knowledge such as Diné toponymy and history. Participants used concepts such as the dynamic interactions of Earth (Nahasdzaan) and Sky (Yádilhil) systems and the natural order (nitsahakees, nahat'a, iina, siihasin) to interpret natural landscape features (e.g., desert landforms, Plateau stratigraphy, Laramide structures) as well as anthropogenic impacts (e.g., uranium extraction and its environmental and health effects) in the field. We will share specific examples of place-based, culturally integrated curriculum and assessment from this program.

Novice and expert teachers' conceptions of learners' prior knowledge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyer, Helen

2004-11-01

This study presents comparative case studies of preservice and first-year teachers' and expert teachers' conceptions of the concept of prior knowledge. Kelly's (The Psychology of Personal Construct, New York: W.W. Norton, 1955) theory of personal constructs as discussed by Akerson, Flick, and Lederman (Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 2000, 37, 363-385) in relationship to prior knowledge underpins the study. Six teachers were selected to participate in the case studies based upon their level experience teaching science and their willingness to take part. The comparative case studies of the novice and expert teachers provide insights into (a) how novice and expert teachers understand the concept of prior knowledge and (b) how they use this knowledge to make instructional decisions. Data collection consisted of interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis. Findings suggest that novice teachers hold insufficient conceptions of prior knowledge and its role in instruction to effectively implement constructivist teaching practices. While expert teachers hold a complex conception of prior knowledge and make use of their students' prior knowledge in significant ways during instruction. A second finding was an apparent mismatch between the novice teachers' beliefs about their urban students' life experiences and prior knowledge and the wealth of knowledge the expert teachers found to draw upon.

Trouble in Paradise: Teacher Conflicts in Shared Decision Making. NCEL Occasional Paper No. 8.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weiss, Carol H.; And Others

Drawing on interviews with 180 staff members from 45 public high schools in 15 states, this document examines the advantages and disadvantages of teacher participation in shared decision making. The settings of six high schools that had structured mechanisms for teacher participation in school decisions are described, and problems that emerged…

Teachers' Orientation to Kindergartners' Different Interactional Competences: Telling Personal Experiences during Shared Readings of Picture Books

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gosen, Myrte N.

2015-01-01

This paper is centered around 106 tellings of personal experiences during shared readings of picture books in kindergarten classrooms. It is shown that teachers orient to different interactional storytelling competences of their pupils. Teachers are found to contribute to pupils' tellings by inviting them, by showing recipiency, by asking…

Teachers' Professional Development: The Case of WhatsApp

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cansoy, Ramazan

2017-01-01

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

The Effect of Teachers' Shared Leadership Perception on Academic Optimism and Organizational Citizenship Behaviour: A Turkish Case

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akin Kösterelioglu, Meltem

2017-01-01

Purpose: The present study investigates the capability of high school teachers' shared leadership perception to predict the academic optimism and organizational citizenship levels. Research methods: The population of the current descriptive study, which was conducted via screening model, consists of 321 high school teachers working for Amasya…

Discerning the Shared Beliefs of Teachers in a Secondary School Mathematics Department

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beswick, Kim

2016-01-01

This study examined the shared beliefs among mathematics teachers in one secondary school in the United Kingdom across the first term of a school year and almost 4 years subsequently. Leximancer software was used to analyse the language used as teachers responded to questions concerning their beliefs about mathematics, mathematics teaching,…

Characterizing Impacts of Online Professional Development on Teachers' Beliefs and Perspectives about Teaching Statistics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Hollylynne S.; Lovett, Jennifer N.; Mojica, Gemma M.

2017-01-01

With online learning becoming a more viable option for teachers to develop their expertise, our report shares one such effort focused on improving the teaching of statistics. We share design principles and learning opportunities, as well as discuss specific impacts evident in classroom teachers' course activity concerning changes to their beliefs…

Teaching complex trauma care in a curriculum challenges critical thinking and clinical judgment--how nurses can help.

PubMed

West, Margaret Mary; Bross, Gina; Snyder, Melissa

2007-01-01

Incorporating complex content into a nursing curriculum presents students with the knowledge and thinking skills necessary to enter a career in nursing. A level 1 trauma center is a prefect environment to advance these thinking skills. Nurses act as professional role models and teachers as they clarify and explain their thinking to a student. When experienced nurses show invitational behaviors to students and share their knowledge with them, they ignite a strong desire within the student to progress. Caring, communication, and inclusion are key components that synergize the teaching/learning experience. The development of critical thinking is a continuous process that is best achieved through collaboration between the student, faculty, and professional, experienced nurses.

Proposing a Knowledge Base for Teaching Academic Content to English Language Learners: Disciplinary Linguistic Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turkan, Sultan; De Oliveira, Luciana C.; Lee, Okhee; Phelps, Geoffrey

2014-01-01

Background/Context: The current research on teacher knowledge and teacher accountability falls short on information about what teacher knowledge base could guide preparation and accountability of the mainstream teachers for meeting the academic needs of ELLs. Most recently, research on specialized knowledge for teaching has offered ways to…

Teachers' Professional Knowledge for Teaching English as a Foreign Language: Assessing the Outcomes of Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

König, Johannes; Lammerding, Sandra; Nold, Günter; Rohde, Andreas; Strauß, Sarah; Tachtsoglou, Sarantis

2016-01-01

Despite an increasing research interest in subject-specific teacher knowledge, the scientific understanding regarding teachers' professional knowledge for teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) is very limited. This study therefore applies standardized tests to directly assess content knowledge (CK), pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), and…

Theorising about Mathematics Teachers' Professional Knowledge: The Content, Form, Nature, and Course of Teachers' Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scheiner, Thorsten

2015-01-01

The guiding philosophy of this theoretical work lays in the argument that mathematics teachers' professional knowledge is the integration of various knowledge facets derived from different sources including teaching experience and research. This paper goes beyond past trends identifying what the teachers' knowledge is about (content) by providing…

Understanding Geometric Ideas: Pre-Service Primary Teachers' Knowledge as a Basis for Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seah, Rebecca

2015-01-01

This paper reports part of an ongoing investigation into aspects of pre-service teachers' geometric knowledge. One hundred and fifty-two Australian pre-service teachers responded to a series of questions that reflect the type of knowledge teachers are expected to know and teach. Analysis of their responses shows that teacher knowledge can be…

Developing and Evaluating a Paper-and-Pencil Test to Assess Components of Physics Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirschner, Sophie; Borowski, Andreas; Fischer, Hans E.; Gess-Newsome, Julie; von Aufschnaiter, Claudia

2016-01-01

Teachers' professional knowledge is assumed to be a key variable for effective teaching. As teacher education has the goal to enhance professional knowledge of current and future teachers, this knowledge should be described and assessed. Nevertheless, only a limited number of studies quantitatively measures physics teachers' professional…

Teachers' Basic Knowledge of Reading Instruction: Insights from a Teacher Preparation Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berkeley, Sheri; Regan, Kelley; Dimitrov, Dimiter; Guckert, Mary; Ray, Sharon

2016-01-01

Effective reading instruction is essential for all students, and especially students with disabilities; however, studies have indicated that both pre-service and in-service teachers lack an adequate knowledge of reading. To ensure adequate teacher knowledge, teacher preparation reform advocates suggest purposeful alignment of teacher preparation…

The Relationship Between Teachers' Mathematical Content and Pedagogical Knowledge, Teachers' Perceptions, and Student Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Patricia F.; Nishio, Masako; Smith, Toni M.; Clark, Lawrence M.; Conant, Darcy L.; Rust, Amber H.; DePiper, Jill Neumayer; Frank, Toya Jones; Griffin, Matthew J.; Choi, Youyoung

2014-01-01

This study of early-career teachers identified a significant relationship between upper-elementary teachers' mathematical content knowledge and their students' mathematics achievement, after controlling for student- and teacher-level characteristics. Findings provide evidence of the relevance of teacher knowledge and perceptions for teacher…

Schools Where Teachers Lead: What Successful Leaders Do

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, John S.; Thacker, Tony; Schargel, Franklin P.

2011-01-01

Develop shared leadership and teacher leadership in your school with the real-world, on-the-job ideas in this book. Principals and other leaders will embrace the practical "Lead Now" and "Do Now" strategies as they improve their own skills and promote shared leadership among their staff. Shared leadership is a process in which multiple staff…

An Examination of Preschool Teachers' Shared Book Reading Practices in Spanish: Before and after Instructional Guidance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pollard-Durodola, Sharolyn D.; Gonzalez, Jorge E.; Simmons, Deborah C.; Taylor, Aaron B.; Davis, Matthew J.; Simmons, Leslie; Nava-Walichowski, Miranda

2012-01-01

Shared book reading is a prominent practice in preschools; however, limited research has examined this practice in classrooms with English language learners (ELLs). This study investigated the shared book reading practices of seven preschool teachers of Spanish-speaking ELLs to describe their vocabulary instructional practices before and after…

Making sense of shared sense-making in an inquiry-based science classroom: Toward a sociocultural theory of mind

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ladewski, Barbara G.

Despite considerable exploration of inquiry and reflection in the literatures of science education and teacher education/teacher professional development over the past century, few theoretical or analytical tools exist to characterize these processes within a naturalistic classroom context. In addition, little is known regarding possible developmental trajectories for inquiry or reflection---for teachers or students---as these processes develop within a classroom context over time. In the dissertation, I use a sociocultural lens to explore these issues with an eye to the ways in which teachers and students develop shared sense-making, rather than from the more traditional perspective of individual teacher activity or student learning. The study includes both theoretical and empirical components. Theoretically, I explore the elaborations of sociocultural theory needed to characterize teacher-student shared sense-making as it develops within a classroom context, and, in particular, the role of inquiry and reflection in that sense-making. I develop a sociocultural model of shared sense-making that attempts to represent the dialectic between the individual and the social, through an elaboration of existing sociocultural and psychological constructs, including Vygotsky's zone of proximal development and theory of mind. Using this model as an interpretive framework, I develop a case study that explores teacher-student shared sense-making within a middle-school science classroom across a year of scaffolded introduction to inquiry-based science instruction. The empirical study serves not only as a test case for the theoretical model, but also informs our understanding regarding possible developmental trajectories and important mechanisms supporting and constraining shared sense-making within inquiry-based science classrooms. Theoretical and empirical findings provide support for the idea that perspectival shifts---that is, shifts of point-of-view that alter relationships and proximities of elements within the interaction space---play an important role in shared sense-making. Findings further suggest that the mutually constitutive interaction of inquiry and reflection plays a key role in flexible shared sense-making. Finally, findings lend support to the idea of a dialectical relationship between human models of shared sense-making and human systems of shared sense-making; that is, the ways in which human minds are coordinated is a work in progress, shaping and shaped by human culture.

Overview of the Earth System Science Education Alliance Online Courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Botti, J. A.

2001-12-01

Science education reform has skyrocketed over the last decade in large part thanks to technology-and one technology in particular, the Internet. The World Wide Web has opened up dynamic new online communities of learners. It has allowed educators from around the world to share thoughts about Earth system science and reexamine the way science is taught. A positive offshoot of this reform effort is the Earth System Science Education Alliance (ESSEA). This partnership among universities, colleges, and science education organizations is led by the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies and the Center for Educational TechnologiesTM at Wheeling Jesuit University. ESSEA's mission is to improve Earth system science education. ESSEA has developed three Earth system science courses for K-12 teachers. These online courses guide teachers into collaborative, student-centered science education experiences. Not only do these courses support teachers' professional development, they also help teachers implement Earth systems science content and age-appropriate pedagogical methods into their classrooms. The ESSEA courses are open to elementary, middle school, and high school teachers. Each course lasts one semester. The courses begin with three weeks of introductory content. Then teachers develop content and pedagogical and technological knowledge in four three-week learning cycles. The elementary school course focuses on basic Earth system interactions between land, life, air, and water. In week A of each learning cycle, teachers do earth system activities with their students. In week B teachers investigate aspects of the Earth system -- for instance, the reason rocks change to soil, the relationship between rock weathering and soil nutrients, and the consequent development of biomes. In week C teachers develop classroom activities and share them online with other course participants. The middle school course stresses the effects of real-world events -- volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, rainforest destruction -- on Earth's lithosphere, atmosphere, biosphere, and hydrosphere. Teachers team during week A of each cycle to research the effect of each event on individual spheres. In week B groups "jigsaw" to study the interactions between events, spheres, and positive and negative feedback loops. In week C teachers develop classroom activities. The high school course uses problem-based learning to examine critical areas of global change, such as coral reef degradation, ozone depletion, and climate change. The ESSEA presentation provides examples of learning environments from each of the three courses.

Overview of the Earth System Science Education Alliance Online Courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Botti, J.; Myers, R.

2002-12-01

Science education reform has skyrocketed over the last decade in large part thanks to technology-and one technology in particular, the Internet. The World Wide Web has opened up dynamic new online communities of learners. It has allowed educators from around the world to share thoughts about Earth system science and reexamine the way science is taught. A positive offshoot of this reform effort is the Earth System Science Education Alliance (ESSEA). This partnership among universities, colleges, and science education organizations is led by the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies and the Center for Educational Technologiestm at Wheeling Jesuit University. ESSEA's mission is to improve Earth system science education. ESSEA has developed three Earth system science courses for K-12 teachers. These online courses guide teachers into collaborative, student-centered science education experiences. Not only do these courses support teachers' professional development, they also help teachers implement Earth systems science content and age-appropriate pedagogical methods into their classrooms. The ESSEA courses are open to elementary, middle school, and high school teachers. Each course lasts one semester. The courses begin with three weeks of introductory content. Then teachers develop content and pedagogical and technological knowledge in four three-week learning cycles. The elementary school course focuses on basic Earth system interactions between land, life, air, and water. In week A of each learning cycle, teachers do earth system activities with their students. In week B teachers investigate aspects of the Earth system-for instance, the reason rocks change to soil, the relationship between rock weathering and soil nutrients, and the consequent development of biomes. In week C teachers develop classroom activities and share them online with other course participants. The middle school course stresses the effects of real-world events-volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, rainforest destruction-on Earth's lithosphere, atmosphere, biosphere, and hydrosphere. Teachers team during week A of each cycle to research the effect of each event on individual spheres. In week B groups "jigsaw" to study the interactions between events, spheres, and positive and negative feedback loops. In week C teachers develop classroom activities. The high school course uses problem-based learning to examine critical areas of global change, such as coral reef degradation, ozone depletion, and climate change. The ESSEA presentation provides examples of learning environments from each of the three courses.

[Different configurations of violence in pedagogical relationships between teachers and students of higher education].

PubMed

Cruz, Gênesis Vivianne; Pereira, Wilza Rocha

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the different settings of violence in pedagogical relations between teachers and students in a higher education from the theory of violence symbolic power. Twelve interviews were conducted with students from six courses of graduation from a higher educational institution; it was used the content analysis to interpret the data. It was found that violence is configured from the most subtle to the most noticeable way and that, although violence was present in the pedagogical processes of the context studied, this was not fully realized, probably because of the reproduction of the symbolic order, socially constructed and internalized by teachers and students. It is considered that the teaching practice needs to be improved in order to make the classroom democratic spaces and to make the students share responsibility for the pursuit of knowledge. We conclude that violence in relationships pedagogical produces certain effects, changes and consequences both, immediate and delayed, which can be minimized.

eGTTP - bridging distances with online training

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doran, Rosa

2015-08-01

The Galileo Teacher Training Program vision is to empower teachers on the use of modern tools and resources for astronomy education. Bringing modern astronomy to the hands of students all over the world represents much more than providing pieces of knowledge. It represents the construction of the building blocks of awareness about our place in the cosmos and our role as specie. In the era of fast track for information exchange, there are still some severe limitations on the provision of equal opportunities to all. Overcoming these limits is the goal of the eGTTP for Portuguese speaking countries. The aim of the project is to provide online training to teachers in the Portuguese speaking countries. With support from the Office of Astronomy for Development we are building experience on how to provide effective support to educators in several countries with different settings, experiences, barriers and needs. In this presentation we hope to share our success stories and set the road for a sustainable continuation of this effort.

News

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2004-09-01

Meeting: Brecon hosts 'alternative-style' Education Group Conference Meeting: Schools' Physics Group meeting delivers valuable teaching update Saturn Mission: PPARC’s Saturn school resource goes online Funding: Grant scheme supports Einstein Year activities Meeting: Liverpool Teachers’ Conference revives enthusiasm for physics Loan Scheme: Moon samples loaned to schools Awards: Schoolnet rewards good use of ICT in learning Funding: PPARC provides cash for science projects Workshop: Experts in physics education research share knowledge at international event Bulgaria: Transit of Venus comes to town Conference: CERN weekend provides lessons in particle physics Summer School: Teachers receive the summer-school treatment

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kademian, Sylvie M.

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

Inspiring the Next Generation of Engineers and Scientists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tambara, Kevin

2013-04-01

Students are usually not excited about abstract concepts, and teachers struggle to inject "pizzazz" into many of their lessons. K-12 teachers need opportunities and the associated pedagogical training to bring meaningful and authentic learning to their students. The professional educator community needs to develop a learning environment which connects desired content knowledge with science and engineering practices that students need to be successful future technology leaders. Furthermore, this environment must foster student exploration and discovery by encouraging them to use their natural creativity with newly acquired technical skills to complete assigned projects. These practices are explicitly listed in the US "Next Generation Science Standards" document that is due for final publication in the very near future. Education in America must unleash students' desires to create and make with their hands, using their intellect, and growing academic knowledge. In this submission I will share various student projects that I have created and implemented for middle and high school. For each project, students were required to learn and implement engineering best practices while designing, building, and testing prototype models, according to pre-assigned teacher specifications. As in all real-world engineering projects, students were required to analyze test data, re-design their models accordingly, and iterate the design process several times to meet specifications. Another key component to successful projects is collaboration between student team members. All my students come to realize that nothing of major significance is ever accomplished alone, that is, without the support of a team. I will highlight several projects that illustrate key engineering practices as well as lessons learned, for both student and teacher. Projects presented will include: magnetically levitated vehicles (maglev) races, solar-powered and mousetrap-powered cars and boats, Popsicle stick catapults and bridges, egg drop "lunar landers", egg-passenger car crashes, cardboard boat races (with human passengers), and working roller coasters made with only paper and tape. Each project requires minimal, low-cost materials commonly found at home or in local stores. I will share the most common student misperceptions about inquiry and problem-solving I have observed while working alongside my students during these projects.

eGender-from e-Learning to e-Research: a web-based interactive knowledge-sharing platform for sex- and gender-specific medical education.

PubMed

Seeland, Ute; Nauman, Ahmad T; Cornelis, Alissa; Ludwig, Sabine; Dunkel, Mathias; Kararigas, Georgios; Regitz-Zagrosek, Vera

2016-01-01

Sex and Gender Medicine is a novel discipline that provides equitable medical care for society and improves outcomes for both male and female patients. The integration of sex- and gender-specific knowledge into medical curricula is limited due to adequate learning material, systematic teacher training and an innovative communication strategy. We aimed at initiating an e-learning and knowledge-sharing platform for Sex and Gender Medicine, the eGender platform (http://egender.charite.de), to ensure that future doctors and health professionals will have adequate knowledge and communication skills on sex and gender differences in order to make informed decisions for their patients. The web-based eGender knowledge-sharing platform was designed to support the blended learning pedagogical teaching concept and follows the didactic concept of constructivism. Learning materials developed by Sex and Gender Medicine experts of seven universities have been used as the basis for the new learning tools . The content of these tools is patient-centered and provides add-on information on gender-sensitive aspects of diseases. The structural part of eGender was designed and developed using the open source e-learning platform Moodle. The eGender platform comprises an English and a German version of e-learning modules: one focusing on basic knowledge and seven on specific medical disciplines. Each module consists of several courses corresponding to a disease or symptom complex. Self-organized learning has to be managed by using different learning tools, e.g., texts and audiovisual material, tools for online communication and collaborative work. More than 90 users from Europe registered for the eGender Medicine learning modules. The most frequently accessed module was "Gender Medicine-Basics" and the users favored discussion forums. These e-learning modules fulfill the quality criteria for higher education and are used within the elective Master Module "Gender Medicine-Basics" implemented into the accredited Master of Public Health at Charité-Berlin. The eGender platform is a flexible and user-friendly electronical knowledge-sharing platform providing evidence-based high-quality learning material used by a growing number of registered users. The eGender Medicine learning modules could be key in the reform of medical curricula to integrate Sex and Gender Medicine into the education of health professionals.

The Role of Learning Goals in Building a Knowledge Base for Elementary Mathematics Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jansen, Amanda; Bartell, Tonya; Berk, Dawn

2009-01-01

In this article, we describe features of learning goals that enable indexing knowledge for teacher education. Learning goals are the key enabler for building a knowledge base for teacher education; they define what counts as essential knowledge for prospective teachers. We argue that 2 characteristics of learning goals support knowledge-building…

General Education Teachers' Knowledge of and Attitudes toward Students with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorders: Are They Still Being Overlooked and Underserved?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wallace Taylor, Roben; Ringlaben, Ravic P.

2013-01-01

This study was an investigation of general education teachers' knowledge and attitudes regarding students with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD). Of interest were (a) the extent of teachers' knowledge about characteristics of AD/HD; (b) the extent of teachers' knowledge of teacher skills appropriate for educating students with…

Growing the Tree of Teacher Knowledge: Ten Years of Learning to Teach Elementary Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mulholland, Judith; Wallace, John

2005-01-01

Pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) is a much debated and studied construct. In this article, we adopt an all-embracing view of PCK to examine the development of one elementary science teacher's knowledge over a 10-year period. We portray this teacher's knowledge at three critical points in her career--as a student teacher, beginning teacher, and…

How Do Teachers Become Knowledgeable and Confident in Classroom Management? Insights from a Pilot Study. Teaching in Focus, No. 19

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

OECD Publishing, 2017

2017-01-01

The Innovative Teaching for Effective Learning (ITEL) Teacher Knowledge Survey is the first international study to explore the nature, function and development of teachers' pedagogical knowledge, i.e. what teachers know about teaching and learning. In-service and pre-service teachers exhibited higher knowledge on the classroom management portion…

Power-sharing Partnerships: Teachers' Experiences of Participatory Methodology.

PubMed

Ferreira, Ronél; Ebersöhn, Liesel; Mbongwe, Bathsheba B

2015-01-01

This article reports on the experiences of teachers as coresearchers in a long-term partnership with university researchers, who participated in an asset-based intervention project known as Supportive Teachers, Assets and Resilience (STAR). In an attempt to inform participatory research methodology, the study investigated how coresearchers (teachers) experienced power relations. We utilized Gaventa's power cube as a theoretical framework and participatory research as our methodologic paradigm. Ten teachers of a primary school in the Eastern Cape and five teachers of a secondary school in a remote area in the Mpumalanga Province in South Africa participated (n=15). We employed multiple data generation techniques, namely Participatory Reflection and Action (PRA) activities, observation, focus group discussions, and semistructured interviews, using thematic analysis and categorical aggregation for data analysis. We identified three themes, related to the (1) nature of power in participatory partnerships, (2) coreasearchers' meaning making of power and partnerships, and their (3) role in taking agency. Based on these findings, we developed a framework of power sharing partnerships to extend Gaventa's power cube theory. This framework, and its five interrelated elements (leadership as power, identifying vision and mission, synergy, interdependent role of partners, and determination), provide insight into the way coresearchers shared their experiences of participatory research methodology. We theorise power-sharing partnerships as a complimentary platform hosting partners' shared strengths, skills, and experience, creating synergy in collaborative projects.

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eick, Charles J.

2002-01-01

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

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.

Mathematics teachers' beliefs about scientific approach (SA) and implementation in mathematics learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mutholib, Ahmad Abdul; Sujadi, Imam; Subanti, Sri

2017-08-01

SA is the approach used for the exploration of research and answer questions. Teachers' beliefs have a greater influence than the teacher's knowledge of designing lesson plans in the classroom. The objectives of this study are to explore the teachers' beliefs in SA, to reveal how the beliefs are reflected in classroom practices; and to figure out the factors affecting their beliefs and practices of SA to the teaching of mathematics. This qualitative research applied case study. The data was gained from classroom observation, face-to-face interview, and documentation. Interactive models from Miles and Huberman were used to examine the data. Results of the study: 1) The teachers believe about the conception of SA. They also believe that the SA is important and gives impact to students' progress. They believe that by applying SA, the target of mathematics learning is acquired. As to learning procedure, they believe that SA steps are conducted in sequence by combining some steps for each. 2) Teachers formulate their beliefs of applying the five scientific step of integrating all steps by keeping the sequence. Teachers argue that target of mathematics learning can be attained by some ways, namely presence of theoretical and practical support, teachers' guidance, providing variety of media and motivation to students. 3) There are five factors which influence teachers' beliefs and practices of SA, namely learning and teaching experience, teachers' motivation, sharing with colleagues and facility. This study concludes that teachers believe in the importance of SA, therefore they implement it in the classroom.

Using partnerships with scientists to enhance teacher capacity to address the NGSS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pavelsky, T.; Haine, D. B.; Drostin, M.

2013-12-01

Increasingly, scientists are seeking outreach experts to assist with the education and outreach components of their research grants. These experts have the skills and expertise to assist with translating scientific research into lessons and activities that are aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) as well as state standards, are STEM-focused and that address the realities of the K-12 science classroom. Since 2007, the Institute for the Environment (IE) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has been conducting teacher professional development and high school student science enrichment programs to promote climate literacy. Partnering with scientists to deepen content knowledge and promote engagement with technology and real data has been a successful strategy for cultivating increased climate literacy among teachers and students. In this session, we will share strategies for effectively engaging scientists in K-12 educational activities by providing specific examples of the various ways in which scientists can be integrated into programming and their research translated into relevant classroom activities. Engaging scientists and translating their research into classroom activities is an approach that becomes even more relevant with the advent of the NGSS. The NGSS's Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs) that encompass climate literacy can be addressed by partnering with scientists to provide teachers with current content knowledge and technological tools needed to promote integration of relevant science and engineering practices and cross-cutting themes. Here we highlight a successful partnership in which IE science educators collaborated with with a faculty member to develop a lesson for North Carolina teachers introducing them to new research on satellite remote sensing of the water cycle, while also promoting student engagement with local data. The resulting lesson was featured during a two-day, IE-led teacher workshop for 21 North Carolina high school teachers in July 2013 titled, 'Observing regional and global water resources: Using remote sensing and field data to better understand the hydrologic cycle.'

Teachers' perceptions of Twitter for professional development.

PubMed

Davis, Kerry

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine how school teachers in the United States (US) perceived using Twitter as a means for professional development, engagement in communities of practice, and any benefits or drawbacks to participating in Twitter. This qualitative research utilized an embedded case design with three sources of data: (a) three consecutive months of tweet data from late 2011 archived on the host website, relating to #EdChat, a weekly online chat in Twitter about education issues; (b) interviews with 19 school teachers in the US who participated in the #EdChat online discussions in Twitter; and (c) Twitter bio and Tweet data of the 19 teachers interviewed. All data were entered into NVIVO (QSR International Pty. Ltd., Doncaster, Australia) for content thematic coding, and The Communities of Practice and Connectivist Conceptual Framework was used to inform this analysis. The researchers' interpretations were verified with participants, and data triangulated across all sources to strengthen confidence in the results. Five main themes and 17 subthemes emerged from the data across all sources. The main themes were teachers' perceptions of sharing knowledge and resources, Twitter promoting a sense of belonging, Twitter providing meaningful professional development, and teachers' views on the technical benefits and drawbacks of using Twitter. Regardless of years teaching, subject area, or age, educators perceived Twitter as providing an online forum to reflect upon practice, exchange knowledge and experience, and be in the presence of supportive colleagues. While participants experienced the pace and volume of information as being overwhelming at times, educators developed skills to managing this and perceived discussions to be learner-centered and supportive. Teachers valued the sense of community and learning that they reported were not otherwise available in their own physical workplace. Overall, participants perceived that the benefits of participation in online Twitter chats for learning outweighed any drawbacks experienced. This article includes implications for future research and how social network sites may be used as a supportive venue for educators, therapists, and students, including individuals with disabilities.

Results of the 2004 DesignShare POE Program: Students and Teachers Tell Us what They Really Think

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lackney, Jeffery A.

2004-01-01

DesignShare/School Construction News (DS/SCN) Jurists have often critically reflected on their desire to know more about how teachers and students really experience so-called innovative award-winning schools. Through the DesignShare Post-Occupancy Evaluation Program, the intention is to give voice to the individuals whose lives are directly…

Measuring Teachers' Knowledge of Vocabulary Development and Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duguay, Annie; Kenyon, Dorry; Haynes, Erin; August, Diane; Yanosky, Tiffany

2016-01-01

This article describes the development of an instrument to measure teachers' knowledge of vocabulary development and instruction, the Teacher Knowledge of Vocabulary Survey (TKVS). This type of knowledge has become increasingly important as all classroom teachers are expected to help students meet language and literacy standards that include…

Factors influencing physicians' knowledge sharing on web medical forums.

PubMed

Lin, Tung Cheng; Lai, Ming Cheng; Yang, Shu Wen

2016-09-01

Web medical forums are relatively unique as knowledge-sharing platforms because physicians participate exclusively as knowledge contributors and not as knowledge recipients. Using the perspective of social exchange theory and considering both extrinsic and intrinsic motivations, this study aims to elicit the factors that significantly influence the willingness of physicians to share professional knowledge on web medical forums and develops a research model to explore the motivations that underlie physicians' knowledge-sharing attitudes. This model hypothesizes that constructs, including shared vision, reputation, altruism, and self-efficacy, positively influence these attitudes and, by extension, positively impact knowledge-sharing intention. A conventional sampling method and the direct recruitment of physicians at their outpatient clinic gathered valid data from a total of 164 physicians for analysis in the model. The empirical results support the validity of the proposed model and identified shared vision as the most significant factor of influence on knowledge-sharing attitudes, followed in descending order by knowledge-sharing self-efficacy, reputation, and altruism. © The Author(s) 2015.

Job Sharing: One District's Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lantz, Mahlon L.

1983-01-01

Describes responses of principals, teachers, and parents to a job sharing program instituted to reduce impact of staff layoffs. Principals were satisfied overall; teachers believed that students benefited from interaction with two instructors; and a majority of parents felt likewise. (TE)

Preservice and inservice teachers' knowledge of language constructs in Finland.

PubMed

Aro, Mikko; Björn, Piia Maria

2016-04-01

The aim of the study was to explore the Finnish preservice and inservice teachers' knowledge of language constructs relevant for literacy acquisition. A total of 150 preservice teachers and 74 inservice teachers participated in the study by filling out a questionnaire that assessed self-perceived expertise in reading instruction, knowledge of phonology and phonics, and knowledge of morphology. The inservice teachers outperformed the preservice teachers in knowledge of phonology and phonics, as well as morphology. Both groups' knowledge of morphology was markedly lower than their knowledge of phonology and phonics. Because early reading instruction does not focus on the morphological level of language but is phonics-based, this result was expected. However, the findings also revealed a lack of explicit knowledge of basic phonological constructs and less-than-optimal phonemic awareness skills in both groups. Problems in phonemic skills manifested mostly as responding to the phonological tasks based on orthographic knowledge, which reflects an overreliance on the one-to-one correspondence between graphemes and phonemes. The preservice teachers' perceptions of expertise were weakly related to their knowledge and skills. Among the inservice teachers, perceived expertise and knowledge of language constructs were completely unrelated. Although the study was exploratory, these findings suggest that within the Finnish teacher education there is a need to focus more on explicit content studies for language structures and the concepts relevant for literacy instruction, as well as phonological and phonemic skills.

Eliciting Teachers' Technological Pedagogical Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heitink, M.; Voogt, J.; Fisser, P.; Verplanken, L.; van Braak, J.

2017-01-01

This paper starts from the understanding that teachers' knowledge is situated, grounded in knowledge derived from formal training and from experiences in practice. Based on this understanding we examine teachers' reasoning in relation to the pedagogical choices teachers make while using ICT in practice. We argue that teachers' reasoning about…

School Teachers' Knowledge about Epilepsy in Kathmandu Metropolitan City.

PubMed

Khanal, K; Maharjan, R; Pokharel, B R; Sanjel, S

2015-01-01

Background Studies on Knowledge towards epilepsy among school teachers are very limited on developing countries especially with reference to Nepal. Level of knowledge of schoolteachers plays an important role on providing a greater educational support for epileptic child and to maintain good communication skills between epileptic and normal child. Objective Objective of this study is to assess the level of knowledge about epilepsy and its associated factors among school teachers. Method A cross sectional study was conducted from 10th June to 4th July, 2014 among 165 teachers teaching in six different schools of Kathmandu Metropolitan City. A selfadministrated questionnaire consisting of structured and multiple choice questions were designed to collect information on the teacher's socio-demographic profile and knowledge about epilepsy. A scoring system was developed for each question: each correct answer was given a score of 1, and a score of 0 for wrong answer. Total score was categorized on two categories: Good Knowledge and Poor Knowledge. Result Teacher's age did not correlate significantly with their knowledge about epilepsy but total years of teaching experiences and knowledge about epilepsy were found to be positively correlated (ρ= 0.165, p= 0.01). Academic qualification of teachers and different teaching level were associated with level of knowledge (p= 0.023, p= 0.021). Significant difference on knowledge score was found among teachers having different academic qualification (p= 0.019). Conclusion All teachers were aware about epilepsy, but their knowledge about epilepsy was not sufficient therefore, health education training program about epilepsy is needed for teachers.

Young Researchers Engaged in Educational Outreach to Increase Polar Literacy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raymond, M.; Baeseman, J.; Xavier, J.; Kaiser, B.; Vendrell-Simon, B.

2008-12-01

The Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS) grew out of the 4th International Polar Year (IPY-4) 2007-08 and is an international and interdisciplinary organization of over 1200 undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, early faculty members, educators and others with interests in Polar Regions and the wider cryosphere from more than 40 countries. Our aims are to stimulate interdisciplinary and international research collaborations, and develop effective future leaders in polar research, education and outreach. As potentially one of the major legacies of IPY-4, APECS members have been at the forefront of increasing scientific knowledge and public interest in the polar regions, centered around global climate change, and enhancing scientific understanding, media attention, primary and secondary school (K-12) educational programs, undergraduate institutions, and public literacy campaigns. Research and Educational Outreach activities by APECS members during IPY-4 have improved both our understanding and the communication of all aspects of the Polar Regions and the importance of their broader global connections. APECS National Committees have run Polar Contests where young researchers partnered with teachers and students to develop curriculum and activities to share their research, have participated in many field based communication exchanges and are mentoring youth to pursue careers in science, and enhancing the public perception of scientists through photo, video and museum exhibits. In cooperation with the IPY Teachers Network and the IPY IPO, APECS is developing a polar education resource book that will feature education and outreach activities by young researchers, as well as provide examples of classroom activities for teachers to incorporate polar literacy into their curriculum and a How-To guide for researchers interested in conducting education and outreach. As young researchers interactively share their excitement and experiences in deepening our understanding of the polar regions, a new generation of polar literate people emerges and society benefits from more knowledge of the rapidly changing polar regions that have a critical and inherent global connection.

Providing a Continuum of Leadership in Polar Science - An IPY Legacy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baeseman, J.

2008-12-01

The Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS) grew out of the 4th International Polar Year (IPY-4) 2007-08 and is an international and interdisciplinary organization of over 1200 undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, early faculty members, educators and others with interests in Polar Regions and the wider cryosphere from more than 40 countries. Our aims are to stimulate interdisciplinary and international research collaborations, and develop effective future leaders in polar research, education and outreach. As potentially one of the major legacies of IPY-4, APECS members have been at the forefront of increasing scientific knowledge and public interest in the polar regions, centered around global climate change, and enhancing scientific understanding, media attention, primary and secondary school (K-12) educational programs, and public literacy campaigns. Research and Educational Outreach activities by APECS members during IPY-4 have improved both our understanding and the communication of all aspects of the Polar Regions and the importance of their broader global connections. APECS National Committees have run Polar Contests where young researchers partnered with teachers and students to develop curriculum and activities to share their research, have participated in many field based communication exchanges and are mentoring youth to pursue careers in science, and enhancing the public perception of scientists through photo, video and museum exhibits. In cooperation with the IPY Teachers Network and the IPY IPO, APECS is developing a polar education resource book that will feature education and outreach activities by young researchers, as well as provide examples of classroom activities for teachers to incorporate polar literacy into their curriculum and a 'how to' guide for researchers interested in conducting education and outreach. As young researchers share their excitement and experiences in deepening our understanding of the polar regions, a new generation of polar literate people emerges and society benefits from more knowledge of the rapidly changing polar regions that have a critical and inherent global connection.

Knowledge and practices of teachers associated with eye health of primary school children in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

PubMed

Habiba, Ume; Ormsby, Gail M; Butt, Zahid Ahmad; Afghani, Tayyab; Asif, Muhammad

2017-01-01

Teachers' perspectives on eye health can be limited, particularly in developing countries. The aim of this study was to assess teachers' knowledge and practices associated with eye health of primary students in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. This was a cross-sectional survey of primary school teachers. Simple random sampling technique was used to select 443 participants from 34 private and 17 public schools. A self-administered questionnaire was used. Teachers' knowledge ranged from "high" (35.89%), "moderate" (49.89%), and "low" (14.22%). Teachers' practices associated with students' eye health ranged from "high" (10.16%), "moderate" (23.02%), and "low" (66.82%). The teachers' knowledge index scores increased 4.28 points with successive age groups and increased 2.41 points with each successive level of education. For teachers whose close relatives experienced eye disease, their knowledge index score was 4.51 points higher than those teachers whose relatives never had any eye disease. Teachers' age, education level, and their close relatives experiencing eye disease were significant predictors of their knowledge ( R 2 = 0.087, P < 0.001). Female teachers' practices index score was 10.35 points higher than the male teachers and public school teachers had 10.13 points higher than the private school teachers. Teachers' gender and type of school were significant predictors of their practices ( R 2 = 0.06, P < 0.001). There was a significant gap among primary school teachers' knowledge and practices related to students' eye health. Innovative strategies are needed to improve how teachers address students' eye health issues in the classroom.

Uncovering and Informing Preservice Teachers' Prior Knowledge about Poverty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mundy, Charlotte Anne; Leko, Melinda Marie

2015-01-01

This study explored 30 preservice teachers' knowledge on issues related to poverty. In an open-ended questionnaire, preservice teachers' perceptions of poverty and how teachers should respond to students from poverty were explored. Results indicated that preservice teachers' knowledge was nonspecific and lacked focus on the relationship among…

Oral Storytelling as Evidence of Pedagogy in Forager Societies.

PubMed

Scalise Sugiyama, Michelle

2017-01-01

Teaching is reportedly rare in hunter-gatherer societies, raising the question of whether it is a species-typical trait in humans. A problem with past studies is that they tend to conceptualize teaching in terms of Western pedagogical practices. In contrast, this study proceeds from the premise that teaching requires the ostensive manifestation of generalizable knowledge: the teacher must signal intent to share information, indicate the intended recipient, and transmit knowledge that is applicable beyond the present context. Certain features of human communication appear to be ostensive in function (e.g., eye contact, pointing, contingency, prosodic variation), and collectively serve as "natural pedagogy." Tellingly, oral storytelling in forager societies typically employs these and other ostensive behaviors, and is widely reported to be an important source of generalizable ecological and social knowledge. Despite this, oral storytelling has been conspicuously overlooked in studies of teaching in preliterate societies. Accordingly, this study presents evidence that oral storytelling involves the use of ostension and the transmission of generic knowledge, thereby meeting the criteria of pedagogy.

Engaging students in learning science through promoting creative reasoning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waldrip, Bruce; Prain, Vaughan

2017-10-01

Student engagement in learning science is both a desirable goal and a long-standing teacher challenge. Moving beyond engagement understood as transient topic interest, we argue that cognitive engagement entails sustained interaction in the processes of how knowledge claims are generated, judged, and shared in this subject. In this paper, we particularly focus on the initial claim-building aspect of this reasoning as a crucial phase in student engagement. In reviewing the literature on student reasoning and argumentation, we note that the well-established frameworks for claim-judging are not matched by accounts of creative reasoning in claim-building. We develop an exploratory framework to characterise and enact this reasoning to enhance engagement. We then apply this framework to interpret two lessons by two science teachers where they aimed to develop students' reasoning capabilities to support learning.

Emotion Knowledge and Attention Problems in Young Children: a Cross-Lagged Panel Study on the Direction of Effects.

PubMed

von Salisch, Maria; Denham, Susanne A; Koch, Tobias

2017-01-01

Attention problems are likely to hinder children in acquiring knowledge of their own and others' emotions. Children with little knowledge of emotions tend to have difficulties with representing emotions, interpreting them, and sharing them, so that they are likely to spend more time in making sense of them and may thus appear to be inattentive. In order to disentangle the direction of effects between emotion knowledge and attention problems, 576 four- to- six-year-olds were interviewed at T1 and about 12 months later (T2) about their emotion knowledge. Their kindergarten teachers rated their attention problems, and their conduct problems at T1 and T2. A cross-lagged panel model indicates that children's emotion knowledge at T1 contributed to the explanation of their attention problems at T2, after language ability and attention problems at T1 were controlled. The other cross-path from attention problems (T1) to emotion knowledge (T2) was not significant. Adding gender, behavioral self-regulation, working memory, conduct problems, or SES as alternative explanations by third variables did not alter this direction of effects. How emotion knowledge impinges on attention problems is discussed.

A Quantitative Investigation of ESL Teacher Knowledge in Australian Adult Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yazdanpanah, Lilly K.

2015-01-01

English as a second language (ESL) teaching is partly a thinking process in which teacher knowledge plays a pivotal role in making instructional choices (Breen, Hird, Milton, Oliver, & Thwaite, 2001). The present study contributes to understandings of teacher knowledge by exploring the types of knowledge, which practicing teachers value in…

Examination of Pre-Service Mathematics Teachers' Knowledge of Teaching Function Concept

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tasdan, Berna Tataroglu; Koyunkaya, Melike Yigit

2017-01-01

Teaching of mathematics could be improved with teachers who have a strong mathematical knowledge and have an ability to reflect this knowledge on their teaching. Therefore, it is important to develop mathematics teachers' theoretical and pedagogical knowledge. This study was designed to examine pre-service secondary mathematics teachers' (PSMT)…

Ghanaian Junior High School Science Teachers' Knowledge of Contextualised Science Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ngman-Wara, Ernest I. D.

2015-01-01

The purpose of the study was to investigate Junior High School science teachers' knowledge about contextualised science instruction. The study employed descriptive survey design to collect data. A test, Test of Science Teacher Knowledge of Contextualised Science Instruction was developed and administered to collect data on teachers' knowledge of…

Investigating the Dynamics of Formative Assessment: Relationships between Teacher Knowledge, Assessment Practice and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herman, Joan; Osmundson, Ellen; Dai, Yunyun; Ringstaff, Cathy; Timms, Michael

2015-01-01

This exploratory study of elementary school science examines questions central to policy, practice and research on formative assessment: What is the quality of teachers' content-pedagogical and assessment knowledge? What is the relationship between teacher knowledge and assessment practice? What is the relationship between teacher knowledge,…

Student Teachers' Knowledge about Children with ADHD and Depression and Its Relations to Emotions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kikas, Eve; Timoštšuk, Inge

2016-01-01

Student teachers' knowledge about children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and depression and its relations to reporting experiencing emotions during teaching practice were studied. The participants were 186 teacher education students in Estonia. Student teachers' general knowledge and confidence in knowledge varied a lot.…

School Management Related Knowledge Levels of Primary School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ugurlu, Celal Teyyar

2013-01-01

The knowledge levels of the teachers affect the qualifications of operations and transactions in schools. School management related knowledge of the teachers is an essential tool to reach the targets of the school. The objective of this study was to determine the school management related knowledge levels of the teachers. Qualitative and…

Conceptualizations of Representation Forms and Knowledge Organization of High School Teachers in Finland: "Magnetostatics"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Majidi, Sharareh; Emden, Markus

2013-01-01

One of the main components of teachers' pedagogical content knowledge refers to their use of representation forms. In a similar vein, organizing concepts logically and meaningfully is an essential element of teachers' subject matter knowledge. Since subject matter and pedagogical content knowledge of teachers are tightly connected as categories…

Exploring the Malaysian Rural School Teachers' Professional Local Knowledge in Enhancing Students' Thinking Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jamil, Hazri; Arbaa, Rohani; Ahmad, Mohamad Zohir

2017-01-01

This paper discussed a qualitative research findings on the case of Malaysian teachers employed their professional local knowledge for enhancing students' thinking skills in classroom practices. In this paper, a teacher's professional local knowledge is viewed as a teacher's professional knowledge and skills developed through the combination of…

EduGeoPark: international students exchanges for promoting Earth Science knowledge and Geoheritage awareness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giardino, Marco; Magagna, Alessandra; Dellarole, Edoardo; Kiuttu, Mikko

2015-04-01

Geoparks are the ideal destination for international study tours based on the sustainable tourism concept, in which the travel is conceived as an opportunity for sharing both scientific knowledge and intangible and tangible culture. Equally, they are the appropriate places for testing and practicing innovative educational strategies, shareable in an international context. The innovative idea of EduGeoPark project is to involve students and teachers in research activities in Geoparks, including sampling and digital mapping: practical field and laboratory activities for stimulating the geological interpretation of an unknown territory. An approach devoted to improve teamwork and problem solving competences. By means of a partnerships between the Rokua (Finland) and the Sesia-Val Grande (Italy) Geoparks, an exchange program for Secondary School's students started during 2014 (Vaala High School; I.I.S. Luigi Cobianchi High School in Verbania). The study and the visit of both territories was an opportunity for students to observe some relevant geological elements and processes that do not exist in their own country. Moreover, the hosting in families allowed them to feel the culture of the area. Teachers and staff of the Geoparks led field trips to the main geological and cultural attractions of both areas. During the activities, students used mobile devices (smartphone and tablet) and GPS to track field trips, to catch and gather georeferenced data and pictures. They acted as researchers, by using both digital and traditional tools: they observed, asked questions, gathered data, and made hypothesis. By sharing ideas, together with the local guides, they reconstructed the cultural and geological history of the area. Students appreciated the experience: not only they had the opportunity of visiting a different country, but also of deepening the geological awareness on their own territory. EduGeoPark project is opening the participation to other Geoparks, in order to enlarge the partnerships and to share good practices in Geoscience education and geological heritage.

Transfer of New Earth Science Understandings to Classroom Teaching: Lessons Learned From Teachers on the Leading Edge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Butler, R.; Ault, C.; Bishop, E.; Southworth-Neumeyer, T.; Magura, B.; Hedeen, C.; Groom, R.; Shay, K.; Wagner, R.

2006-05-01

Teachers on the Leading Edge (TOTLE) provided a field-based teacher professional development program that explored the active continental margin geology of the Pacific Northwest during a two-week field workshop that traversed Oregon from the Pacific Coast to the Snake River. The seventeen teachers on this journey of geological discovery experienced regional examples of subduction-margin geology and examined the critical role of geophysics in connecting geologic features with plate tectonic processes. Two examples of successful transfer of science content learning to classroom teaching are: (1) Great Earthquakes and Tsunamis. This topic was addressed through instruction on earthquake seismology; field observations of tsunami geology; examination of tsunami preparedness of a coastal community; and interactive learning activities for children at an Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) Science Camp. Teachers at Sunnyside Environmental School in Portland developed a story line for middle school students called "The Tsunami Hotline" in which inquiries from citizens serve as launch points for studies of tsunamis, earthquakes, and active continental margin geology. OMSI Science Camps is currently developing a new summer science camp program entitled "Tsunami Field Study" for students ages 12-14, based largely on TOTLE's Great Earthquakes and Tsunamis Day. (2) The Grand Cross Section. Connecting regional geologic features with plate tectonic processes was addressed many times during the field workshop. This culminated with teachers drawing cross sections from the Juan de Fuca Ridge across the active continental margin to the accreted terranes of northeast Oregon. Several TOTLE teachers have successfully transferred this activity to their classrooms by having student teams relate earthquakes and volcanoes to plate tectonics through artistic renderings of The Grand Cross Section. Analysis of program learning transfer to classroom teaching (or lack thereof) clearly indicates the importance of pedagogical content knowledge and having teachers share their wisdom in crafting new earth science content knowledge into learning activities. These lessons and adjustments to TOTLE program goals and strategies may be valuable to other Geoscience educators seeking to prepare K-12 teachers to convey the discoveries of EarthScope's USArray and Plate Boundary Observatory experiments to their students.

Primary school teacher's knowledge and attitudes toward children with epilepsy.

PubMed

Abulhamail, Albaraa S; Al-Sulami, Fahad E; Alnouri, Mouneeb A; Mahrous, Najeeb M; Joharji, Dima G; Albogami, Maha M; Jan, Mohammed M

2014-04-01

Primary school teacher's knowledge and attitudes toward epilepsy can have significant impact on the performance and psycho-social development of the child with epilepsy. Our objectives were to study teacher's knowledge and attitudes and identify areas in which further teacher training and education are required. A stratified random sample survey involving a group of primary school teachers in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia included private/public schools designated for male and female students. A structured 37-item questionnaire was used to examine their demographics, knowledge, attitudes, and experience with epilepsy. Six hundred and twenty primary school teachers working in public (58%) or private (42%) schools were included with ages ranging between 21 and 59 years (mean 36). Most teachers (79%) were of Saudi Arabian nationality and 66% had a college or university degree. Their years of experience ranged from 1 to 35 (mean 13.5). Only 17% of the teachers felt very well informed about epilepsy. Teachers with higher education were more likely to have good knowledge (p=0.009). Teachers of Saudi nationality were also more likely to report good knowledge, independent of their educational level (p=0.013). Overall, teachers with good knowledge were less likely to have negative attitudes including minding to have an epileptic child in their class (p=0.028) or thinking that they should be placed in a special classroom (p=0.029). Primary school teacher's knowledge about epilepsy needs improvements. Their attitudes correlated highly with their knowledge. Educational campaigns about epilepsy are needed to develop a well informed and tolerant community. Copyright © 2014 British Epilepsy Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Knowledge and Perception Regarding Autism among Primary School Teachers: A Cross-sectional Survey from Pakistan, South Asia.

PubMed

Ayub, Adil; Naeem, Buria; Ahmed, Wajahat Nazir; Srichand, Suraksha; Aziz, Komal; Abro, Brooj; Najam, Sehrish; Murtaza, Duraiz; Janjua, Ali Ahmed; Ali, Sara; Jehan, Imtiaz

2017-01-01

Early detection and intervention seem to improve development in autistic children, and teachers form an important part of their early social environment. The objective of this study was to assess baseline knowledge and misconceptions regarding autism among school teachers and evaluate factors influencing their knowledge. This is a cross-sectional survey enrolling primary school teachers using a self-administered questionnaire. Seventy-three teachers (mean age of 34 years, 66% females) responded. Gaps in awareness and knowledge were found. About 52 (71.2%) teachers identified themselves as having some knowledge about autism, with 23 (44.2%) among this group understanding autism as a neurological/mental disorder. The majority (73.1%) believe that special education is a helpful intervention. The only significant factor that influenced knowledge among teachers was attendance of behavioral classes ( P = 0.01). Results suggest that teachers have an inadequate understanding of autism due to several misconceptions. This calls for increased education of teachers with regard to autism and other childhood disorders.

Preparing novice teachers to develop basic reading and spelling skills in children.

PubMed

Spear-Swerling, Louise; Brucker, Pamela Owen

2004-12-01

This study examined the word-structure knowledge of novice teachers and the progress of children tutored by a subgroup of the teachers. Teachers' word-structure knowledge was assessed using three tasks: graphophonemic segmentation, classification of pseudowords by syllable type, and classification of real words as phonetically regular or irregular. Tutored children were assessed on several measures of basic reading and spelling skills. Novice teachers who received word-structure instruction outperformed a comparison group of teachers in word-structure knowledge at post-test. Tutored children improved significantly from pre-test to post-test on all assessments. Teachers' post-test knowledge on the graphophonemic segmentation and irregular words tasks correlated significantly with tutored children's progress in decoding phonetically regular words; error analyses indicated links between teachers' patterns of word-structure knowledge and children's patterns of decoding progress. The study suggests that word-structure knowledge is important to effective teaching of word decoding and underscores the need to include this information in teacher preparation.

Case-based pedagogy as a context for collaborative inquiry in the Philippines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arellano, Elvira L.; Barcenal, Tessie L.; Bilbao, Purita P.; Castellano, Merilin A.; Nichols, Sharon; Tippins, Deborah J.

2001-05-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential for using case-based pedagogy as a context for collaborative inquiry into the teaching and learning of elementary science. The context for this study was the elementary science teacher preparation program at West Visayas State University on the the island of Panay in Iloilo City, the Philippines. In this context, triple linguistic conventions involving the interactions of the local Ilonggo dialect, the national language of Philipino (predominantly Tagalog) and English create unique challenges for science teachers. Participants in the study included six elementary student teachers, their respective critic teachers and a research team composed of four Filipino and two U.S. science teacher educators. Two teacher-generated case narratives serve as the centerpiece for deliberation, around which we highlight key tensions that reflect both the struggles and positive aspects of teacher learning that took place. Theoretical perspectives drawn from assumptions underlying the use of case-based pedagogy and scholarship surrounding the community metaphor as a referent for science education curriculum inquiry influenced our understanding of tensions at the intersection of re-presentation of science, authority of knowledge, and professional practice, at the intersection of not shared language, explicit moral codes, and indigenization, and at the intersection of identity and dilemmas in science teaching. Implications of this study are discussed with respect to the building of science teacher learning communities in both local and global contexts of reform.

Job Sharing Through Part Time Contracts. A Consideration in the Context of Declining School Enrolments in Ontario.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kumar, Krishna

Two questionnaires were sent to all school boards and a sample of teachers in Ontario to assess how receptive boards and teachers are to job sharing as an alternative work pattern in schools affected by declining enrollment. The report gives the background of the concept of job sharing and an analysis of the benefits, work situations, and problems…

Examination of Primary and Secondary School Teachers' Aspects towards Educational Use of Video Sharing Websites

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Usta, Ertugrul; Atun, Handan

2017-01-01

Daily use of video has increased by televisions, but lately people have been using video sharing websites most frequently. This extended use of video sharing websites has emerged a new era for education; teachers and learners can use them to enhance learning in education. Hence, the purpose of this study is to examine primary and secondary school…

Enabling Security, Stability, Transition, and Reconstruction Operations through Knowledge Management

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-18

strategy. Overall, the cultural barriers to knowledge sharing center on knowledge creation and capture. The primary barrier to knowledge sharing is lack ... Lacking a shared identity decreases the likelihood of knowledge sharing, which is essential to effective collaboration.84 Related to collaboration...to adapt, develop, and change based on experience-derived knowledge.90 A second cultural barrier to knowledge acquisition is the lack receptiveness

Teacher Subject Matter Knowledge of Number Sense

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Briand-Newman, Hannah; Wong, Monica; Evans, David

2012-01-01

Pedagogical content knowledge has been widely acknowledged by researchers and practitioners as a significant factor for improving student knowledge, understanding and achievement. Recently, the knowledge teachers need for teaching has expanded to include teacher horizon content knowledge, "an awareness of how mathematical topics are related…

Prompted Journal Writing Supports Preservice History Teachers in Drawing on Multiple Knowledge Domains for Designing Learning Tasks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wäschle, Kristin; Lehmann, Thomas; Brauch, Nicola; Nückles, Matthias

2015-01-01

Becoming a history teacher requires the integration of pedagogical knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, and content knowledge. Because the integration of knowledge from different disciplines is a complex task, we investigated prompted learning journals as a method to support teacher students' knowledge integration. Fifty-two preservice…

Teacher Education: From Education to Teacher Substance and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Felicetti, Vera Lucia

2011-01-01

This article aims to reflect the trajectory of the teacher from the perspective of building and rebuilding the knowledge of the professional in education; it shows the teacher constituting the development of his knowledge-substance and knowledge-practice over the course of teacher performance, which makes each professional unique, though they…

Preservice Primary Teachers' Geometric Thinking: Is Pre-Tertiary Mathematics Education Building Sufficiently Strong Foundations?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hourigan, Mairéad; Leavy, Aisling M.

2017-01-01

Teacher knowledge is a critical focus of educational research in light of the potential impact of teacher knowledge on student learning. The dearth of research exploring entry-level preservice teachers' geometric knowledge poses an onerous challenge for mathematics educators in initial teacher education (ITE) when designing experiences that…

Connection between Topic-Specific Teacher Knowledge and Student Performance in Lower Secondary School Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tchoshanov, Mourat; Quinones, Maria Cruz; Shakirova, Kadriya B.; Ibragimova, Elena N.; Shakirova, Liliana R.

2017-01-01

The interpretive cross-case study focused on the examination of connections between teacher and student topic-specific knowledge of lower secondary mathematics. Two teachers were selected for the study using non-probability purposive sampling technique. Teachers completed the Teacher Content Knowledge Survey before teaching a topic on division of…

Process Mediates Structure: The Relation between Preschool Teacher Education and Preschool Teachers' Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blömeke, Sigrid; Jenßen, Lars; Grassmann, Marianne; Dunekacke, Simone; Wedekind, Hartmut

2017-01-01

Data about processes and outcomes of preschool teacher education is scarce. This paper examines the opportunities to learn (OTL) of prospective preschool teachers (N = 1,851) at different types and stages of preschool teacher education and their relation to general pedagogical knowledge (GPK), mathematics pedagogical content knowledge (MPCK), and…

Teachers' Knowledge and Confidence for Promoting Positive Mental Health in Primary School Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Askell-Williams, Helen; Lawson, Michael J.

2013-01-01

This paper reports an investigation into Australian primary school teachers' knowledge and confidence for mental health promotion. Questionnaires were delivered to 1397 teachers. In-depth interviews were held with 37 teachers. Quantitative results showed that half to two thirds of teachers felt efficacious and knowledgeable about selected…

Finnish Mentor Mathematics Teachers' Views of the Teacher Knowledge Required for Teaching Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Asikainen, Mervi A.; Pehkonen, Erkki; Hirvonen, Pekka E.

2013-01-01

Seven Finnish mentor mathematics teachers were interviewed about their views regarding the teacher knowledge required for teaching mathematics. The results of the interviews revealed not only the teachers' spontaneous views of the knowledge base needed for effective mathematics teaching but also their views of the particular types of teacher…

Shared Governance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mortenson, Robert A.

The MINK (Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas) Network Educational Resources Center is a regional, collaborative effort among Teacher Corps Projects and a model of shared governance to improve learning environments and understanding among teacher educators. The governance of this group comes from a Board of Directors comprised of project…

Teaching Place Value Concepts to First Grade Romanian Students: Teacher Knowledge and its Influence on Student Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tanase, Madalina

2011-01-01

Researchers (Ball, 2003; Ma, 1999; Schulman, 1986) have long investigated how a teacher's subject matter and pedagogical content knowledge impact on students' learning of mathematics. In an attempt to account for the relationship between teacher knowledge and student learning, this study examined four Romanian first grade teachers' knowledge about…

Indonesian Primary Teachers' Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching Geometry: Implications for Educational Policy and Teacher Preparation Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ng, Dicky

2011-01-01

This study examines Indonesian primary teachers' mathematical knowledge for teaching geometry and what factors contribute to this knowledge. A translated and adapted version of the Learning Mathematics for Teaching measures and the Indonesian Educational Survey were used to gather information on teachers' knowledge for teaching geometry and their…

Transforming Knowledge in Undergraduate Teacher Education. A Craft Paper 91-1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reid, Gem

This paper examines the teacher educator's role in assisting prospective teachers to grasp what it means to transform knowledge so that content and pedagogy intersect. Knowledge is not certain nor is its authority held in the text or the teacher's lesson plans. If students perceive knowledge to be open-ended, requiring vital curiosity, they will…

Interplay of Secondary Pre-Service Teacher Content Knowledge (CK), Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) and Attitudes Regarding Scientific Inquiry Teaching within Teacher Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smit, Robbert; Weitzel, Holger; Blank, Robert; Rietz, Florian; Tardent, Josiane; Robin, Nicolas

2017-01-01

Background: Beginning teachers encounter several constraints with respect to scientific inquiry. Depending on their prior beliefs, knowledge and understanding, these constraints affect their teaching of inquiry. Purpose: To investigate quantitatively the longitudinal relationship between pre-service teachers' knowledge and attitudes on scientific…

Nutrition-Related Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) among Kindergarten Teachers in Chongqing, China: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

PubMed

Liu, Hongyan; Xu, Xianglong; Liu, Dengyuan; Rao, Yunshuang; Reis, Cesar; Sharma, Manoj; Yuan, Jun; Chen, Yao; Zhao, Yong

2018-03-28

Kindergarten teachers play an important role in providing kindergarten children with education on nutrition. However, few studies have been published on nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of Chinese kindergarten teachers. This study aimed to assess the nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of kindergarten teachers in Chongqing, China. Thus, a cross-sectional survey was conducted using a structured KAP model questionnaire administered to 222 kindergarten teachers, who were senior teachers from 80 kindergartens in 19 districts and 20 counties in Chongqing. Multiple regression analysis was used to analyze the influential factors. Among the participants, 54.2% were familiar with simple nutrition-related knowledge; only 9.9% of them were satisfied with their knowledge of childhood nutrition; and 97.7% of them had a positive attitude to learn nutrition-related knowledge. Only 38.7% of the participants had attended pediatric nutrition knowledge courses or training. Multiple regression analysis confirmed significant independent effects on the nutrition knowledge score ( p < 0.0001) of respondents on age, type of residence, type of kindergarten, body mass index(BMI), professional training of kindergarten teachers, behavior of having ever participated in childhood nutrition education knowledge courses or training, and behavior of having ever paid attention to children's nutrition knowledge. The model indicated that independent variables explained 45.4% (adjusted R²) of the variance found in the knowledge scores of respondents. While there were low levels of nutrition knowledge and training, it was still encouraging to note that there were positive attitudes towards acquiring nutrition-related knowledge among kindergarten teachers in Chongqing, China. These findings provide some implications that necessary training measures need to be carried out to improve the nutrition-related knowledge level among kindergarten teachers in China.

Nutrition-Related Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) among Kindergarten Teachers in Chongqing, China: A Cross-Sectional Survey

PubMed Central

Liu, Dengyuan; Rao, Yunshuang; Yuan, Jun; Chen, Yao; Zhao, Yong

2018-01-01

Kindergarten teachers play an important role in providing kindergarten children with education on nutrition. However, few studies have been published on nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of Chinese kindergarten teachers. This study aimed to assess the nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of kindergarten teachers in Chongqing, China. Thus, a cross-sectional survey was conducted using a structured KAP model questionnaire administered to 222 kindergarten teachers, who were senior teachers from 80 kindergartens in 19 districts and 20 counties in Chongqing. Multiple regression analysis was used to analyze the influential factors. Among the participants, 54.2% were familiar with simple nutrition-related knowledge; only 9.9% of them were satisfied with their knowledge of childhood nutrition; and 97.7% of them had a positive attitude to learn nutrition-related knowledge. Only 38.7% of the participants had attended pediatric nutrition knowledge courses or training. Multiple regression analysis confirmed significant independent effects on the nutrition knowledge score (p < 0.0001) of respondents on age, type of residence, type of kindergarten, body mass index(BMI), professional training of kindergarten teachers, behavior of having ever participated in childhood nutrition education knowledge courses or training, and behavior of having ever paid attention to children’s nutrition knowledge. The model indicated that independent variables explained 45.4% (adjusted R2) of the variance found in the knowledge scores of respondents. While there were low levels of nutrition knowledge and training, it was still encouraging to note that there were positive attitudes towards acquiring nutrition-related knowledge among kindergarten teachers in Chongqing, China. These findings provide some implications that necessary training measures need to be carried out to improve the nutrition-related knowledge level among kindergarten teachers in China. PMID:29597273

Identifying and Evaluating Teachers' Knowledge in Relation to Child Abuse and Neglect: A Qualitative Study with Australian Early Childhood Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walsh, Kerryann; Farrell, Ann

2008-01-01

Child abuse and neglect are serious social problems that make extraordinary demands on teachers' knowledge and professionalism. Yet the field of education has been slow to develop a discipline-specific knowledge base about child abuse and neglect for teachers and teacher education programmes and there is a paucity empirical research into teachers'…

Preservice Teachers' Professional Knowledge and Its Relation to Academic Self-Concept

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paulick, Isabell; Großschedl, Jörg; Harms, Ute; Möller, Jens

2016-01-01

We investigated the factorial structure of preservice teachers' academic self-concept with regard to three domains of professional knowledge (content knowledge [CK], pedagogical content knowledge [PCK], and pedagogical/psychological knowledge [PPK]). We also analyzed the relation between preservice teachers' academic self-concept and their…

PolarTREC—A Model Program for Taking Polar Literacy into the Future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warburton, J.; Timm, K.; Larson, A. M.

2009-12-01

Polar TREC—Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating, is a three-year (2007-2009) NSF-funded International Polar Year (IPY) teacher professional development program that advances Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education by improving teacher content knowledge and instructional practices through Teacher Research Experiences (TRE) in the Arctic and Antarctic. Leveraging profound changes and fascinating science taking place in the polar regions, PolarTREC broadly disseminates activities and products to students, educators, researchers, and the public, connecting them with the Arctic and Antarctica and sustaining the widespread interest in the polar regions and building on the enthusiasm that was generated through IPY. Central to the PolarTREC Teacher Research Experience Model, over 40 teachers have spent two to eight weeks participating in hands-on research in the polar regions and sharing their experiences with diverse audiences via live events, online multimedia journals, and interactive bulletin boards. The Connecting Arctic/Antarctic Researchers and Educators (CARE) Network unifies learning community members participants, alumni, and others, developing a sustainable association of education professionals networking to share and apply polar STEM content and pedagogical skills. Educator and student feedback from preliminary results of the program evaluation has shown that PolarTREC’s comprehensive program activities have many positive impacts on educators and their ability to teach science concepts and improve their teaching methods. Additionally, K-12 students polled in interest surveys showed significant changes in key areas including amount of time spent in school exploring research activities, importance of understanding science for future work, importance of understanding the polar regions as a person in today’s world, as well as increased self-reported knowledge and interest in numerous science content areas. Building on previous programs and successes, PolarTREC has developed a successful internet based program for teachers and researchers to interact, leveraging their diverse experiences and expertise for the creation of interdisciplinary educational tools including online journals and forums, real-time Internet seminars, lesson plans, classroom activities, audio, video, and other highly relevant and adaptable educational resources that address a broad range of scientific topics. These highly accessible methods and resources are available to educators and students of varying ages and abilities across the globe, and have connected thousands of students and citizens to the excitement of polar science. PolarTREC provides a tested approach and a clear route for varying levels of researcher participation in the education community, therefore facilitating the types of positive benefits and understanding that ensure increased educator, student, and community understanding of science and the polar regions during times of interrelated global change. For more information, email info@polartrec.com or call 907-474-1600.

MO-DE-BRA-05: Developing Effective Medical Physics Knowledge Structures: Models and Methods

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

Sprawls, P

Purpose: Develop a method and supporting online resources to be used by medical physics educators for teaching medical imaging professionals and trainees so they develop highly-effective physics knowledge structures that can contribute to improved diagnostic image quality on a global basis. Methods: The different types of mental knowledge structures were analyzed and modeled with respect to both the learning and teaching process for their development and the functions or tasks that can be performed with the knowledge. While symbolic verbal and mathematical knowledge structures are very important in medical physics for many purposes, the tasks of applying physics in clinicalmore » imaging--especially to optimize image quality and diagnostic accuracy--requires a sensory conceptual knowledge structure, specifically, an interconnected network of visually based concepts. This type of knowledge supports tasks such as analysis, evaluation, problem solving, interacting, and creating solutions. Traditional educational methods including lectures, online modules, and many texts are serial procedures and limited with respect to developing interconnected conceptual networks. A method consisting of the synergistic combination of on-site medical physics teachers and the online resource, CONET (Concept network developer), has been developed and made available for the topic Radiographic Image Quality. This was selected as the inaugural topic, others to follow, because it can be used by medical physicists teaching the large population of medical imaging professionals, such as radiology residents, who can apply the knowledge. Results: Tutorials for medical physics educators on developing effective knowledge structures are being presented and published and CONET is available with open access for all to use. Conclusion: An adjunct to traditional medical physics educational methods with the added focus on sensory concept development provides opportunities for medical physics teachers to share their knowledge and experience at a higher cognitive level and produce medical professionals with the enhanced ability to apply physics to clinical procedures.« less

Bridging Academic Discourse for Emergent Bilingual Preschoolers: A Spanish-English Dual Language Teacher's Instructional Practices and Extratextual Talk during Shared Readings across Two Different Genres and Languages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sembiante, Sabrina F.

2013-01-01

This qualitative case study examines the nature of a dual language preschool teacher's instructional practices and extratextual talk during shared-book reading practices with two different genres of books in Spanish and English. Specifically, I explore the interpersonal, ideational, and textual features of one teacher's talk in English- and…

An Investigation of the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge of Pre-Service Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horzum, Mehmet Baris

2013-01-01

This study investigates whether pre-service teachers' learning approach and gender are related to their technological knowledge, their technological content knowledge, their technological pedagogical knowledge and their technological pedagogical content knowledge. The sample of the study consisted of 239 pre-service teachers. It was found that an…

Analysis on the Management of College Teachers' Tacit Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Linying; Han, Zhijun

2008-01-01

Knowledge management, especially, tacit knowledge management, is a significant guarantee for the sustainable development of universities. The transfer of college teachers' tacit knowledge is the key and difficult point in tacit knowledge management of universities. This paper starts from the existence and application condition of college teachers'…

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sewart, Bethany Bianca

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

Knowledge, attitude and practice in emergency management of dental injury among physical education teachers: a survey in Bangalore urban schools.

PubMed

Mohandas, U; Chandan, G D

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess, by means of a self administered structured questionnaire, the level of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of physical education teachers in Bangalore city with regards to emergency management of dental injuries. The questionnaire surveyed the physical education teacher's background, knowledge of management of tooth fracture, avulsion, luxation injuries, it also investigated physical education teacher's attitude and the way they handle the injuries. The sample consisted 580 teachers from 700 selected schools in Bangalore city. Chi-square test was applied to test the significance between trained and untrained teachers. Among the population 70% were males physical education teachers 30% were females. 95% of the teachers had physical education training and 5% did not have the training. 95% of the population had first aid component and 5% did not have. Only 25% of trained physical education teachers had correct knowledge about tooth identification and 17% among untrained teachers. 81% of trained teachers answered correctly regarding management of fractured anterior teeth against 27.5% of untrained teachers (P< 0.0002). The present report indicates that there is lack of knowledge and practice among physical education teachers in Bangalore city regarding emergency management of dental trauma. Educational programs to improve the knowledge and awareness among the teachers have to be implemented.

Content-Related Knowledge of Biology Teachers from Secondary Schools: Structure and learning opportunities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Großschedl, Jörg; Mahler, Daniela; Kleickmann, Thilo; Harms, Ute

2014-09-01

Teachers' content-related knowledge is a key factor influencing the learning progress of students. Different models of content-related knowledge have been proposed by educational researchers; most of them take into account three categories: content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, and curricular knowledge. As there is no consensus about the empirical separability (i.e. empirical structure) of content-related knowledge yet, a total of 134 biology teachers from secondary schools completed three tests which were to capture each of the three categories of content-related knowledge. The empirical structure of content-related knowledge was analyzed by Rasch analysis, which suggests content-related knowledge to be composed of (1) content knowledge, (2) pedagogical content knowledge, and (3) curricular knowledge. Pedagogical content knowledge and curricular knowledge are highly related (rlatent = .70). The latent correlations between content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge (rlatent = .48)-and curricular knowledge, respectively (rlatent = .35)-are moderate to low (all ps < .001). Beyond the empirical structure of content-related knowledge, different learning opportunities for teachers were investigated with regard to their relationship to content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, and curricular knowledge acquisition. Our results show that an in-depth training in teacher education, professional development, and teacher self-study are positively related to particular categories of content-related knowledge. Furthermore, our results indicate that teaching experience is negatively related to curricular knowledge, compared to no significant relationship with content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge.

Teacher Knowledge of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder among Middle School Students in South Texas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guerra, Fred R., Jr.; Brown, Michelle S.

2012-01-01

This quantitative study examined the knowledge levels middle school teachers in South Texas have in relation to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The study specifically compared teacher knowledge levels among three specific ADHD knowledge areas: (a) general knowledge of ADHD, (b) knowledge of symptoms/diagnosis of ADHD, and (c)…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mahler, Daniela; Großschedl, Jörg; Harms, Ute

2017-01-01

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

Preservice Elementary School Teachers' Knowledge of Fractions: A Mirror of Students' Knowledge?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Steenbrugge, H.; Lesage, E.; Valcke, M.; Desoete, A.

2014-01-01

This research analyses preservice teachers' knowledge of fractions. Fractions are notoriously difficult for students to learn and for teachers to teach. Previous studies suggest that student learning of fractions may be limited by teacher understanding of fractions. If so, teacher education has a key role in solving the problem. We first reviewed…

First Comes the Theory, Then the Practice? On the Acquisition of General Pedagogical Knowledge during Initial Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

König, Johannes

2013-01-01

Teacher education systems worldwide are confronted with the essential question of how to foster both future teachers' theoretical and practical knowledge and to adequately enable future teachers to connect their theoretical and practical knowledge for teaching. This article investigates how future teachers acquire general pedagogical knowledge…

Primary Teacher Educators' Perception of Desired and Achieved Pedagogical Content Knowledge in Geography Education in Primary Teacher Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blankman, Marian; van der Schee, Joop; Volman, Monique; Boogaard, Marianne

2015-01-01

This paper presents the findings of a study conducted among primary geography teacher educators. The research examines the perceptions of educators of primary teacher students' desired and achieved levels of substantial knowledge, syntactic knowledge, and beliefs about the subject of geography. The findings indicate that primary teacher educators…

Learn and apply: using multi-sensory storytelling to gather knowledge about preferences and abilities of children with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities--three case studies.

PubMed

Brug, Annet Ten; Van der Putten, Annette A J; Vlaskamp, Carla

2013-12-01

Knowledge about the preferences and abilities of children with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMDs) is crucial for providing appropriate activities. Multi-sensory storytelling (MSST) can be an ideal activity for gathering such knowledge about children with PIMDs. The aim of this study was to analyse whether using MSST did lead to changes in teachers' knowledge about preferences and abilities and whether this knowledge was then applied in practice. Three dyads of children with PIMDs and their teachers read an MSST book 20 times during a 10-week period. A questionnaire designed to identify the teachers' current knowledge was filled in before the 1st and again after the 10th and 20th reading sessions. Also, the teachers were asked for their opinion about their newly gathered knowledge. In all three cases, changes in the teachers' knowledge were observed. However, teachers are insufficiently aware of their new knowledge and do not apply it in practice.

Information Sharing and Knowledge Sharing as Communicative Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Savolainen, Reijo

2017-01-01

Introduction: This paper elaborates the picture of information sharing and knowledge sharing as forms of communicative activity. Method: A conceptual analysis was made to find out how researchers have approached information sharing and knowledge sharing from the perspectives of transmission and ritual. The findings are based on the analysis of one…

Sharing Practice through Socratic Seminars

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mangrum, Jennifer R.

2010-01-01

Developing systems and opportunities for effective dialogue is critical if schools wish to help teachers work collectively. One school used Socratic seminars, structured conversations about selected texts. These seminars helped teachers to build relationships, share practice, and change curriculum and policy. The seminars also were critical to…

Online communities of practice and their role in educational development: a systematic appraisal.

PubMed

Swift, Lynn

2014-04-01

Practice teachers and academics have a role in developing knowledge and promoting evidence-based practice with their students in a supportive and creative learning environment. Recent advances in technology are enabling communities of practice' (CoPs) to be developed online and may present a valuable opportunity to form greater connections between educators. To explore this idea, the author conducted a systematic appraisal of published evidence relating to the impact of using an online CoP (OCoP) to develop knowledge among healthcare educators. Three academic databases were targeted for articles and the search retrieved nine articles that were analysed for quality. The findings identified that an OCoP offers a 'polycontextual' environment that can enhance knowledge development, strengthen social ties and build social capital. Communities that support tacit knowledge development, information sharing and problem solving are most valued and existing information and communication technology (ICT) tools can be used to promote usability and accessibility. Recognising the value of tacit knowledge and using ICT for educational development within workload hours will require a shift in cultural thinking at both an individual and organisational level.

Psychological reality and the role of the teacher in early-education sharing time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alsafi, Abdullah T.

1994-01-01

The study of children's language development has been strongly influenced since the 1950s by linguistic research. How well, however, has the education of young children incorporated the concept of psychological reality, which interrelates the child's perceptual and cognitive development with linguistic and non-linguistic events in his/her environment? In reply to this question, the paper concentrates on"sharing time", known also as"show and tell", which has both affective and cognitive value. Although sharing time is a student-centered activity, the teacher plays a pivotal role in establishing its context, structure and norms. Feedback from the teacher and peers promotes language development, and the growth of curiosity and inquisitiveness. The article is derived from experience in teaching kindergarten teachers to conduct sharing time periods in Saudi Arabia. Practical suggestions are made for the implementation of the activity, in the interests of encouraging spontaneous and personalized language rather than focusing on evaluation of students' competence in the formal aspects of language development.

Evaluating first-aid knowledge and attitudes of a sample of Turkish primary school teachers.

PubMed

Başer, Mürüvvet; Coban, Sibel; Taşci, Sultan; Sungur, Gönül; Bayat, Meral

2007-10-01

Knowledge of first aid, which constitutes life-saving treatments for injuries or unexpected illnesses, is important for every individual at every age. First aid and basic life support are so important that teaching basic first aid should be compulsory in all schools. The goal of this study was to determine the knowledge and attitudes of a sample of Turkish teachers regarding the administration of first aid. Three hundred twelve teachers took part in this study to evaluate knowledge and attitudes of teachers in primary schools about first aid. Data were obtained using a questionnaire. It included 30 questions that help identify the teachers and determine their knowledge and attitudes about first aid. Data were analyzed by chi-square test. In this study, it was determined that most of the teachers do not have correct knowledge and attitudes about first aid. For example, 65.1% of teachers gave incorrect answers regarding epistaxis, 63.5% for bee stings, and 88.5% for abrasion. It was found out that as the age of the teachers increases, appropriate first-aid practice becomes more and more unlikely. The results of this study showed that teachers did not have enough knowledge about first aid.

Epistemological Beliefs of Prospective Preschool Teachers and Their Relation to Knowledge, Perception, and Planning Abilities in the Field of Mathematics: A Process Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunekacke, Simone; Jenßen, Lars; Eilerts, Katja; Blömeke, Sigrid

2016-01-01

Teacher competence is a multi-dimensional construct that includes beliefs as well as knowledge. The present study investigated the structure of prospective preschool teachers' mathematics-related beliefs and their relation to content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge. In addition, prospective preschool teachers' perception and planning…

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rozenszajn, Ronit; Yarden, Anat

2014-01-01

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…

Investigating the effect of distance between the teacher and learner on the student perception of a neuroanatomical near-peer teaching programme.

PubMed

Stephens, Jonny R; Hall, Samuel; Andrade, Matheus Gesteira; Border, Scott

2016-12-01

Near-peer teaching (NPT) is a highly valuable resource for the education of medical undergraduates with benefits to the students, teachers themselves, and the faculty. To maximise the effectiveness of such teaching programmes, the aim of this study was to determine how the student learning experience, and underpinning social and cognitive congruencies changes as the learner-teacher distance increases. Second-year medical students at the University of Southampton participated in a series of neuroanatomy, extra-curricular revision sessions taught by the third-, fourth-, and fifth-year medical students and junior doctors. The students completed a validated questionnaire after the session rating various aspects of the teaching. Although all teachers delivered sessions that we rated highly with a mean perceived gain in knowledge of 18 % amongst all students, it was found that the third- and fourth-year medical students delivered a session that was rated significantly better than the fifth-year students and junior doctors across all, but one areas of feedback. We believe that these findings may be explained by the diminishing social and cognitive congruencies shared between learner and teacher with increasing distance. From our results, we hypothesise that graduation is an important threshold, where there is a significant drop in congruencies between the learner and teacher, therefore, having a significant impact on the perception of the NPT session.

The Workshop Program on Authentic Assessment for Science Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rustaman, N. Y.; Rusdiana, D.; Efendi, R.; Liliawati, W.

2017-02-01

A study on implementing authentic assessment program through workshop was conducted to investigate the improvement of the competence of science teachers in designing performance assessment in real life situation at school level context. A number of junior high school science teachers and students as participants were involved in this study. Data was collected through questionnaire, observation sheets, and pre-and post-test during 4 day workshop. This workshop had facilitated them direct experience with seventh grade junior high school students during try out. Science teachers worked in group of four and communicated each other by think-pair share in cooperative learning approach. Research findings show that generally the science teachers’ involvement and their competence in authentic assessment improved. Their knowledge about the nature of assessment in relation to the nature of science and its instruction was improved, but still have problem in integrating their design performance assessment to be implemented in their lesson plan. The 7th grade students enjoyed participating in the science activities, and performed well the scientific processes planned by group of science teachers. The response of science teachers towards the workshop was positive. They could design the task and rubrics for science activities, and revised them after the implementation towards the students. By participating in this workshop they have direct experience in designing and trying out their ability within their professional community in real situation towards their real students in junior high school.

Teaching Metacognitive Knowledge and Developing Expertise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Velzen, Joke H.

2012-01-01

Teacher educators' knowledge about metacognitive knowledge and developing expertise can provide for insights about teaching these "difficult" constructs. In this explorative study, six teacher educators' remarks regarding metacognitive knowledge and developing expertise were examined. The teacher educators filled in closed-ended and…

Teacher knowledge, instructional expertise, and the development of reading proficiency.

PubMed

Reid Lyon, G; Weiser, Beverly

2009-01-01

Teacher knowledge and instructional expertise have been found in correlational and pre- and posttest studies to be related to student reading achievement. This article summarizes data presented in this special issue and additional research to address four questions: (a) What do expert reading teachers know? (b) Why do teachers need to acquire this knowledge? (c) Do teachers believe they have this knowledge? and (d) Are teachers being adequately prepared to teach reading? Well-designed studies relevant to this topic have been sparse with a noticeable lack of attention given to identifying specific causal links between teacher knowledge, teaching expertise, and student reading achievement. Until the appropriate research designs and methodologies are applied to address the question of causal effects, conclusions about the specific content that teachers must know and the instructional practices that are most beneficial in presenting this content are preliminary at best. Future studies of the effect of essential reading content knowledge must be extended beyond word-level skills to vocabulary, reading comprehension, and writing.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahler, Daniela; Großschedl, Jörg; Harms, Ute

2017-01-01

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

An Analysis of Secondary Integrated STEM Lesson Plans: Common Characteristics, Learning Expectations and the Impact from the Teacher's Definition of I-STEM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayward, Jacob B.

This qualitative study investigated teachers' understanding of their definition of I-STEM (Integrated STEM education), how those understandings manifested into lessons and associated lesson artifacts, how they assessed students in such lessons, and what factors or rationales supported their ability to conduct or not conduct I-STEM lessons. A survey was sent to the members of four professional organizations representing I-STEM disciplines to solicit their participation in this project. Ten teachers ranging from grades 9-12 participated in this study. Of those who responded, six teachers identified with National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), three teachers selected International Technology and Engineering Education Association (ITEEA), and one teacher claimed International STEM Education Association (ISEA). No teachers identified with National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. In addition to surveys, data were collected using interviews, email responses, and a review of lesson artifacts. Three distinct factors emerged from this study. First, there was a lack of consistency among I-STEM disciplines, then, assessments of students was predominately focused on soft-skills, and finally, several participants shared three characteristics that seemed to define experiences for conducting what they believed were I-STEM lessons. Additionally teachers emphasized factors effecting implementation of I-STEM describing rationales enabling participants' to implement I-STEM lessons. Responses provided insight and revealed how teachers understood I-STEM definition, how they interpreted integration of the disciplines, and "why" they conducted I-STEM lessons. The majority of participants implemented I-STEM in the absence of an official school/district definition. Assessments provided interesting results in this study. The majority of participants identified expected outcomes or products based on their I-STEM definition and in their responses. However, the rubrics submitted measured or awarded points to various soft skills, such as teamwork and communication abilities. Participants discussed the implementation of I-STEM skills and knowledge, however, of the submitted rubrics, only a very criteria were presented that actually awarded points to students based on their understanding or growing in I-STEM knowledge or skills. Most points or grades were awarded based on the students' abilities to communicate either in a presentation or paper. Few points were awarded to the process of I-STEM or to the constructed products.

Three Questions Can Change Your Labs for the Better

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blanton, Patricia

2009-04-01

Editor's note: This description gives those new to inquiry-style pedagogy an example as to how a typical introductory physics lab can be adapted for inquiry. I have never been able to find the author of this piece but share it here because it was posted to a listserv to be shared with physics teachers. If you are the author or know who wrote this, please let me know and I'll disclose it to our readers. My intent in publishing this is twofold: 1) to give beginning teachers an inquiry example, and 2) to encourage teachers to find an online community to share ideas and learn from experienced practitioners.

NASA IceBridge and PolarTREC - Education and Outreach Partnership

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartholow, S.; Warburton, J.; Beck, J.; Woods, J. E.

2015-12-01

PolarTREC-Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating, a teacher professional development program, began with the International Polar Year in 2004 and continues today in the United States. PolarTREC has worked specifically with OIB for 3 years and looking forward to ongoing collaboration. PolarTREC brings U.S. K­12 educators and polar researchers together through an innovative teacher research experience model. Participating teachers spend 3-6 weeks in the field with research teams conducting surveys and collecting data on various aspects of polar science. During their experience, teachers become research team members filling a variety of roles on the team. They also fulfill a unique role of public outreach officer, conducting live presentations about their field site and research as well as journaling, answering questions, and posting photos. Working with OIB has opened up the nature of science for the participating teachers. In developing the long-term relationship with OIB teams, teachers can now share (1) the diversity of training, backgrounds, and interests of OIB scientists, (2) identify the linkages between Greenlandic culture and community and cryospheric science and evidence of climate change, (3) network with Danish and Greenlandic educators on the mission (4) gain access to the full spectrum of a science project - development, implementation, analysis, networking, and dissemination of information. All aspects help these teachers become champions of NASA science and educational leaders in their communities. Evaluation data shows that PolarTREC has clearly achieved it goals with the OIB partnership and suggests that linking teachers and researchers can have the potential to transform the nature of science education. By giving teachers the content knowledge, pedagogical tools, confidence, understanding of science in the broader society, and experiences with scientific inquiry, participating teachers are using authentic scientific research in their classrooms.

Pedagogical Content Knowledge Development and Pre-Service Physics Teacher Education: A Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sperandeo-Mineo, R. M.; Fazio, C.; Tarantino, G.

2006-09-01

This paper addresses the question of how to develop prospective teachers' pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) in science teacher education. The main focus is on the knowledge transformation process and on the cognitive strategies used to shift prospective teachers' explanations within the domain of modelling thermal physical phenomena. This study investigates the development of PCK within a group of 28 pre-service physics teachers during the first semester of their two-year post-graduate teacher education program. It focuses on the central issue of the relationships between observable phenomena, like macroscopic thermal properties of matter and their interpretation and/or explanation in terms of corpuscular characteristics and/or thermodynamics theory. The strategy is based on the consideration that knowledge transformation is not a one-way process from subject matter knowledge to pedagogical content knowledge, as literature suggests, but a bidirectional process involving deepening of subject matter knowledge and increasing awareness of pedagogical issues.

Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Preparation of High School Physics Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Etkina, Eugenia

2010-01-01

This paper contains a scholarly description of pedagogical practices of the Rutgers Physics/Physical Science Teacher Preparation program. The program focuses on three aspects of teacher preparation: knowledge of physics, knowledge of pedagogy, and knowledge of how to teach physics (pedagogical content knowledge--PCK). The program has been in place…

Examining Prospective Mathematics Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge on Fractions in Terms of Students' Mistakes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sahin, Ömer; Gökkurt, Burçin; Soylu, Yasin

2016-01-01

The aim of the study is to examine prospective mathematics teachers' pedagogical content knowledge in terms of knowledge of understanding students and knowledge of instructional strategies which are the subcomponents of pedagogical content knowledge. The participants of this research consist of 98 prospective teachers who are studying in two…

Measuring Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge in Primary Technology Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rohaan, Ellen J.; Taconis, Ruurd; Jochems, Wim M. G.

2009-01-01

Pedagogical content knowledge is found to be a crucial part of the knowledge base for teaching. Studies in the field of primary technology education showed that this domain of teacher knowledge is related to pupils' increased learning, motivation, and interest. The common methods to investigate teachers' pedagogical content knowledge are often…

How Book Groups Bring Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoerr, Thomas R.

2009-01-01

Teachers and administrators need opportunities to share perceptions, consider possibilities, and forge solutions. Faculty book groups are a powerful tool to create organic solutions with wide ownership. They are great for spurring true professional development. In this article, the author shares how the teachers at New City School have met…

Observing Peers Develops Practice, Changes Culture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reilly, Kathleen A.

2017-01-01

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

Africa and China Higher Education Cooperation: Establishing Knowledge Sharing Partnership between Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gonondo, Jean

2017-01-01

Knowledge sharing should not be confused neither with data sharing nor with information sharing; the knowledge sharing includes data and information sharing, skills and expertise communication, ideas exchange. Since the fourth FOCAC held in Egypt in 2009, many policies have been added to reinforce Africa and China educational cooperation,…

Knowledge foundations for beginning reading teachers in EFL.

PubMed

Goldfus, Carol

2012-10-01

This study examined the knowledge that teachers need in order to become successful early reading teachers in English as a foreign language. The findings showed that in-service teachers had better content knowledge than pre-service teachers, although the results indicated overall low performance and insufficiently developed concepts about the structure of language, spelling rules, and academic terminology in both groups.

Early Career Mathematics Teachers' General Pedagogical Knowledge and Skills: Do Teacher Education, Teaching Experience, and Working Conditions Make a Difference?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

König, Johannes; Blömeke, Sigrid; Kaiser, Gabriele

2015-01-01

We examined several facets of general pedagogical knowledge and skills of early career mathematics teachers, asking how they are associated with characteristics of teacher education, teaching experience, and working conditions. Declarative general pedagogical knowledge (GPK) was assessed via a paper-and-pencil test, while early career teachers'…

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…

Teachers' Knowledge in Content, Pedagogy and Technology Integration: A Comparative Analysis between Teachers in Saudi Arabia and United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alqurashi, Emtinan; Gokbel, Elif N.; Carbonara, David

2017-01-01

Teachers' technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) involves an awareness of instructional approaches, methods, and knowledge of building on technology to enhance students' learning. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the TPACK of teachers in Saudi Arabia and USA, and then describe the factors affecting teachers' TPACK through an…

New Zealand Teachers' Understanding of Childhood Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: Investigating and Enhancing Teacher Knowledge and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Case, Rosalind Jane Leamy; Starkey, Nicola J.; Jones, Kelly; Barker-Collo, Suzanne; Feigin, Valery

2017-01-01

This two-phase study investigated New Zealand primary school teachers' knowledge and perceptions of childhood mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI), and evaluated the effectiveness of a professional development workshop for enhancing teacher knowledge regarding mTBI. In phase one, 19 teachers from schools in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty engaged in…

Exploring Learning Progressions of New Science Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krise, Kelsy Marie

First-, second- and third-year teachers can be considered novice teachers with a solid foundation. The beginning years of teaching are intense times for learning, in which teachers can build upon their foundational knowledge. However, traditional mentoring programs often focus on technical advice and emotional support to help teachers survive the first years. This study set out to understand new science teachers' pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) in order to identify how their learning progresses. Understanding teachers' ideas will allow one to think about the development of educative mentoring practices that promote the advancement of teachers' knowledge. To investigate teachers' learning progressions, the following research questions guided this study: What is the nature of pedagogical content knowledge of first-, second- and third-year science teachers at various points across the school year? To which aspects of pedagogical content knowledge do first-, second- and third-year teachers pay attention at various points across the school year? Which aspects of pedagogical content knowledge are challenging for first-, second- and third-year teachers at various points across the school year? First-, second- and third-year teachers were interviewed, observed, and their teaching artifacts were collected across the school year. Data were examined to uncover learning progressions, when ideas became more sophisticated across first-, second-, and third-year teachers. The findings of this study contribute to an understanding of how teachers' learning progresses and allows for a trajectory of learning to be described. The trajectory can be used to inform the design of university-based mentoring programs for new teachers. The descriptions of the nature of teachers' PCK and the aspects of PCK to which teachers pay attention and find challenging shed light on the support necessary to promote continued teacher learning.

Place in Pacific Islands Climate Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barros, C.; Koh, M. W.

2015-12-01

Understanding place, including both the environment and its people, is essential to understanding our climate, climate change, and its impacts. For us to develop a sense of our place, we need to engage in multiple ways of learning: observation, experimentation, and opportunities to apply new knowledge (Orr, 1992). This approach allows us to access different sources of knowledge and then create local solutions for local issues. It is especially powerful when we rely on experts and elders in our own community along with information from the global community.The Pacific islands Climate Education Partnership (PCEP) is a collaboration of partners—school systems, nongovernmental organizations, and government agencies—working to support learning and teaching about climate in the Pacific. Since 2009, PCEP partners have been working together to develop and implement classroom resources, curriculum standards, and teacher professional learning opportunities in which learners approach climate change and its impacts first through the lens of their own place. Such an approach to putting place central to teaching and learning about climate requires partnership and opportunities for learners to explore solutions for and with their communities. In this presentation, we will share the work unfolding in the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) as one example of PCEP's approach to place-based climate education. Three weeklong K-12 teacher professional learning workshops took place during June-July 2015 in Majuro, RMI on learning gardens, climate science, and project-based learning. Each workshop was co-taught with local partners and supports educators in teaching climate-related curriculum standards through tasks that can foster sense of place through observation, experimentation, and application of new knowledge. Additionally, we will also share PCEP's next steps in place-based climate education, specifically around emerging conversations about the importance of highlighting stories of place to generate local solutions for local issues, as well as further global awareness about climate change impacts in the Pacific.

A Conflict in Your Head: An Exploration of Trainee Science Teachers' Subject Matter Knowledge Development and Its Impact on Teacher Self-Confidence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kind, Vanessa

2009-01-01

Teachers' subject matter knowledge (SMK) is one factor contributing to teaching 'successfully', as this provides a basis from which pedagogical content knowledge develops. UK-based trainee science teachers teach all sciences to age 14 and often up to age 16. Trainees have specialist science knowledge in chemistry, physics, or biology from their…

The Impact of Teacher Study Groups in Vocabulary on Teaching Practice, Teacher Knowledge, and Student Vocabulary Knowledge: A Large-Scale Replication Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jayanthi, Madhavi; Dimino, Joseph; Gersten, Russell; Taylor, Mary Jo; Haymond, Kelly; Smolkowski, Keith; Newman-Gonchar, Rebecca

2018-01-01

The purpose of this replication study was to examine the impact of the Teacher Study Group (TSG) professional development in vocabulary on first-grade teachers' knowledge of vocabulary instruction and observed teaching practice, and on students' vocabulary knowledge. Sixty-two schools from 16 districts in four states were randomly assigned to…

Effectiveness of a Curricular and Professional Development Intervention at Improving Elementary Teachers' Science Content Knowledge and Student Achievement Outcomes: Year 1 Results

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diamond, Brandon S.; Maerten-Rivera, Jaime; Rohrer, Rose Elizabeth; Lee, Okhee

2014-01-01

Teacher knowledge of science content is an important but under-studied construct. A curricular and professional development intervention consisting of a fifth grade science curriculum, teacher workshops, and school site support was studied to determine its effect on teachers' science content knowledge as measured by a science knowledge test,…

Formative research on a teacher accompaniment model to promote youth mental health in Haiti: Relevance to mental health task-sharing in low-resource school settings

PubMed Central

Eustache, Eddy; Gerbasi, Margaret E.; Severe, Jennifer; Fils-Aimé, J. Reginald; Smith Fawzi, Mary C.; Raviola, Giuseppe J.; Darghouth, Sarah; Boyd, Kate; Thérosmé, Tatiana; Legha, Rupinder; Pierre, Ermaze L.; Affricot, Emmeline; Alcindor, Yoldie; Grelotti, David J.; Becker, Anne E.

2017-01-01

Background Task-sharing with teachers to promote youth mental health is a promising but underdeveloped strategy in improving care access in low-income countries. Aims To assess feasibility, acceptability, and utility of the teacher accompaniment phase of a school-based teacher accompagnateur pilot study (TAPS) in Haiti. Methods We assigned student participants, ages 18–22 (n=120) to a teacher participant (n=22) within four Haitian schools; we instructed participants to arrange meetings with their assigned counterparts to discuss mental health treatment, academic skills, and/or well-being. We measured student and teacher perceived feasibility, acceptability, and utility of meetings with self-report Likert-style questions. We examined overall program feasibility by the percentage of students with a documented meeting, acceptability by a composite measure of student satisfaction, and utility by the percentage with identified mental health need who discussed treatment with a teacher. Results Favorable ratings support feasibility, acceptability, and utility of teacher-accompagnateur meetings with students. The majority of students (54%) met with a teacher. Among students with an identified mental disorder, 43.2% discussed treatment during a meeting. Conclusions This accompaniment approach to mental health task-sharing with teachers provided a school-based opportunity for students with mental health need to discuss treatment and has potential relevance to other low-income settings. PMID:28367718

Formative research on a teacher accompaniment model to promote youth mental health in Haiti: Relevance to mental health task-sharing in low-resource school settings.

PubMed

Eustache, Eddy; Gerbasi, Margaret E; Severe, Jennifer; Fils-Aimé, J Reginald; Smith Fawzi, Mary C; Raviola, Giuseppe J; Darghouth, Sarah; Boyd, Kate; Thérosmé, Tatiana; Legha, Rupinder; Pierre, Ermaze L; Affricot, Emmeline; Alcindor, Yoldie; Grelotti, David J; Becker, Anne E

2017-06-01

Task-sharing with teachers to promote youth mental health is a promising but underdeveloped strategy in improving care access in low-income countries. To assess feasibility, acceptability and utility of the teacher accompaniment phase of a school-based Teacher- Accompagnateur Pilot Study (TAPS) in Haiti. We assigned student participants, aged 18-22 years ( n = 120), to teacher participants ( n = 22) within four Haitian schools; we instructed participants to arrange meetings with their assigned counterparts to discuss mental health treatment, academic skills, and/or well-being. We measured student and teacher perceived feasibility, acceptability and utility of meetings with self-report Likert-style questions. We examined overall program feasibility by the percentage of students with a documented meeting, acceptability by a composite measure of student satisfaction and utility by the percentage with identified mental health need who discussed treatment with a teacher. Favorable ratings support feasibility, acceptability and utility of teacher- accompagnateur meetings with students. The majority of students (54%) met with a teacher. Among students with an identified mental disorder, 43.2% discussed treatment during a meeting. This accompaniment approach to mental health task-sharing with teachers provided a school-based opportunity for students with mental health need to discuss treatment and has potential relevance to other low-income settings.

Childhood epilepsy: knowledge and attitude of primary school teachers in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

PubMed

Alikor, E A D; Essien, A A

2005-01-01

This study was conducted to determine the knowledge of primary school teachers in Port Harcourt metropolis of epilepsy, their knowledge of the management of an attack of epilepsy and the attitude of these teachers towards epilepsy in children. This is a questionnaire-based, cross-sectional study of 118 school teachers from five randomly selected primary schools in Port Harcourt metropolis, Nigeria. Ten percent (12) of the 118 teachers were graded "Good", 45% (54) "Fair" and 43% (52) "Poor" in overall knowledge score. Sixty six teachers (56%) accept applying crude oil on the body as useful in stopping epileptic attacks in children. There was no significant association between overall knowledge score and sex, year of experience as a teacher and experience with a child with epilepsy. Only 10% of the teachers studied were classified as having overall good knowledge of epilepsy. Sixty nine teachers (58.5%) were graded as having good knowledge of cause of epilepsy. Only 38 (32%) disagree that the saliva drooled during an epileptic attack is contagious; one hundred (84.8%) and 65 (55.1%) agree that some childhood illnesses can cause epilepsy and that it runs in families respectively. Overall, 54 teachers (45.8%) had a cumulative score of negative attitude towards epilepsy. Eighty three teachers (73.3%) would want all children with epilepsy put in a special school whilst 57 (48%) agree that children with epilepsy should be withdrawn from schools. The longer the teacher's professional experience, the more the likelihood of positive attitude towards epilepsy but the association did not reach statistically significant level (p = 0.076). Attitude was not statistically associated with sex and educational qualification. The overall knowledge of primary school teachers in Port Harcourt metropolis of epilepsy and the first-aid management of an epileptic attack is poor. The attitude of these teachers towards epilepsy is negative. Education of the primary school teacher and general public on epilepsy is recommended.

Examining Teachers' Understanding of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guerra, Federico; Tiwari, Ashwini; Das, Ajay; Cavazos Vela, Javier; Sharma, Manisha

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine teachers' knowledge, misconceptions and concerns about students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This mixed methods study involved 173 school teachers from five elementary schools. Knowledge of Attention Deficit Disorders Scale (KADDS) was used to measure teachers' knowledge and…

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…

Pre-Service Physics Teachers' Metacognitive Knowledge about Their Instructional Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yerdelen-Damar, Sevda; Özdemir, Ömer Faruk; Ünal, Cezmi

2015-01-01

This study aims to investigate pre-service physics teachers' metacognitive knowledge about their teaching practices. The participants included six pre-service physics teachers. A taxonomy of metacognition for teaching was developed to analyze the level of pre-service physics teachers' metacognitive knowledge about their teaching practices.…

Oral Health Knowledge, Attitude, and Approaches of Pre-Primary and Primary School Teachers in Mumbai, India.

PubMed

Mota, Ankita; Oswal, Kunal C; Sajnani, Dipti A; Sajnani, Anand K

2016-01-01

Background. School teachers have an internationally recognized potential role in school-based dental education and considerable importance has therefore been attributed to their dental knowledge. The objectives of this study were to determine the oral health related knowledge, attitudes, and approaches of pre-primary and primary school teachers in the city of Mumbai. Methods. The descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in the suburban regions of Mumbai using a self-administered questionnaire and involved 511 teachers. Results. Teachers demonstrated inappropriate or incomplete knowledge regarding children's oral health. Only 53.2% knew that an individual has two sets of dentition. Moreover, only 45.4% of the teachers knew that a primary dentition consists of 20 teeth. Only 56.9% of the teachers asked their children to clean their mouth after snacking during school hours. 45.0% of the teachers were unaware of fluoridated tooth pastes whilst 78.9% of them were unaware of school water fluoridation programmes. Also, 54.8% of the teachers never discussed the oral health of children with their parents during parents meet. Conclusions. The studied school teachers demonstrated incomplete oral health knowledge, inappropriate oral practices, and unfavourable approaches to children's oral health. There is a definite and immediate need for organized training of school teachers on basic oral health knowledge.

Does content knowledge matter for new teachers?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reeves, Todd D.

There is considerable evidence that new teachers are ill prepared for classroom practice, including self-reported evidence collected from teachers (e.g., Levine, 2006), and statistical evidence for differences in the achievement of students with new versus more experienced teachers (Rivkin, Hanushek, & Kain, 2005). In light of the challenges encountered by new teachers (e.g., Levine, 2006), this study examined the value of different forms of teacher knowledge for teachers with different levels of experience. In particular, this study investigated the interactive relationship between teaching experience and teacher content knowledge, and student achievement in mathematics and science. In New York City, Boyd et al. (2009) linked practice-focused teacher preparation to student mathematics achievement in the first year of teaching and teacher content preparation to achievement in the second. However, other studies demonstrated interactions between teaching experience and content knowledge with different interpretations (e.g., Kukla-Acevedo, 2009; Monk, 1994). At the same time, this study examined the interactive relationship between teaching experience and teachers' pedagogical content knowledge, and student achievement. Extant models of teacher career development (Huberman, 1989; National Research Council, 2010) and how teacher education affects student achievement (e.g., Desimone, 2009) offered theoretical grounding for the study. With nationally representative samples of fourth and eighth grade U.S. students--participants in the 2011 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study--this study employed hierarchical linear modeling to address its research questions among an array of student achievement outcomes in the domains of mathematics and science. This study attempted to account for salient student, teacher, and contextual factors, and the probabilities of teachers' receipt of various teacher education "treatments" (i.e., propensity score analysis) to reduce the plausibility of selection threats to internal validity. The study found no evidence for relationships between teacher content knowledge or pedagogical content knowledge and student mathematics and science achievement in fourth and eighth grade. Furthermore, the results indicated no interactive relationships between forms of teacher knowledge and teaching experience, and student achievement in these grades/subjects. The limitations of cross-sectional, observational studies using large-scale data and directions for further research are discussed.

Teacher as Writer: Remembering the Agony, Sharing the Ecstasy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Augsburger, Deborah J.

1998-01-01

Argues that teachers who write are in a better position to guide students, provide useful feedback, and show the real value of writing. Discusses remembering the agony, sharing the ecstasy, giving authentic feedback, growing a community of writers, and remembering the reason people bother to write at all. (SR)

Sharing Leadership Responsibilities Results in Achievement Gains

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armistead, Lew

2010-01-01

Collective, not individual, leadership in schools has a greater impact on student achievement; when principals and teachers share leadership responsibilities, student achievement is higher; and schools having high student achievement also display a vision for student achievement and teacher growth. Those are just a few of the insights into school…

Cases as Shared Inquiry: A Dialogical Model of Teacher Preparation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrington, Helen L.; Garrison, James W.

1992-01-01

A dialogical model is proposed for connecting theory to practice in teacher education by conceiving of cases from case-based pedagogy as problems that initiate shared inquiry. Cases with genuine cognitive and axiological content can initiate self-directed, student-centered inquiry while building democratic dialogical communities. (SLD)

Latino/a Bilinguals and Their Teachers Developing a Shared Communicative Space

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, Erin Elizabeth; Dominguez, Higinio; Empson, Susan; Maldonado, Luz Angelica

2013-01-01

In this study, a temporal analysis and the analytical category of intersubjectivity are used to investigate how teachers and Latino/a bilingual students constructed shared communicative spaces in group mathematical discussions in an after school mathematics program in a culturally, linguistically, and economically diverse primary school.…

An Argument Everyone Wins: Shared Learning Unites Teachers across Schools and Grade Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldberg, Lauren; Siegel, Brad; Goldberg, Gravity

2015-01-01

The three authors of this article--a K-12 regional director of curriculum, instruction, and assessment responsible for orchestrating professional learning, a high school English teacher who participated in the professional learning, and an independent literacy consultant who supports four districts' professional learning--share their experiences…

Pre-service Mathematics Teachers' Knowledge of History of Mathematics and Their Attitudes and Beliefs Towards Using History of Mathematics in Mathematics Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alpaslan, Mustafa; Işıksal, Mine; Haser, Çiğdem

2014-01-01

This study examined pre-service mathematics teachers' knowledge of history of mathematics and their attitudes and beliefs towards using history of mathematics in mathematics education based on year level in teacher education program and gender. The sample included 1,593 freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior pre-service middle school (grades 4-8) mathematics teachers from nine universities in Turkey. Data were collected through Knowledge of History of Mathematics Test and Attitudes and Beliefs towards the Use of History of Mathematics in Mathematics Education Questionnaire. Results indicate that pre-service teachers have moderate knowledge of history of mathematics and positive attitudes and beliefs towards using history of mathematics. Their knowledge scores increase as the year level in teacher education program advanced. Males' knowledge scores are significantly higher than females' scores in the first 2 years. This situation reverses in the last 2 years, but it is not statistically significant. Pre-service teachers have more positive attitudes and availing beliefs towards using history of mathematics as they progress in their teacher education program. Females have greater attitudes and beliefs mean scores than males in each of the years. The results indicate that the teacher education program may have enhanced the pre-service teachers' knowledge of history of mathematics by related courses. However, the moderate knowledge scores indicate that there is a need for revision of these courses. The pre-service teachers' positive attitudes and beliefs towards using history of mathematics stress the importance of teacher education program in order to prepare them for implementing this alternative strategy in the future.

Best of Teacher-to-Teacher: The Ultimate Beginner's Guide. NEA Teacher-to-Teacher Books.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Education Association, Washington, DC.

In this book, beginning teachers from around the country share their favorite chapters from the National Education Association's "Teacher-to-Teacher" books. Each story illustrates step-by-step how teachers tackle a specific restructuring challenge, describing what worked and what did not work in the process. Each chapter includes diagrams,…

The Use of Clinical Interviews to Develop Inservice Secondary Science Teachers' Nature of Science Knowledge and Assessment of Student Nature of Science Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peters-Burton, Erin E.

2013-01-01

To fully incorporate nature of science knowledge into classrooms, teachers must be both proficient in their own nature of science knowledge, but also skillful in translating their knowledge into a learning environment which assesses student knowledge. Twenty-eight inservice teachers enrolled in a graduate course which in part required a clinical…

Developing an Understanding of What Constitutes Mathematics Teacher Educator PCK: A Case Study of a Collaboration between Two Teacher Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muir, Tracey; Wells, Jill; Chick, Helen

2017-01-01

Previous research into the knowledge required for teaching has focused primarily on pre-service and in-service teachers' knowledge. What is less researched, however, is the role of the teacher educator in helping pre-service teachers (PSTs) develop the knowledge needed in order to teach mathematics to students. The focus thus shifts from examining…

What Knowledge Is of Most Worth: Teacher Knowledge for 21st Century Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kereluik, Kristen; Mishra, Punya; Fahnoe, Chris; Terry, Laura

2013-01-01

This article offers a critical review of the literature on 21st century knowledge frameworks, with a particular focus on what this means for teachers and teacher educators. The authors accomplish this by identifying common themes and knowledge domains in 15 reports, books, and articles that describe the kinds of knowledge that researchers state…

Does Knowing More Advanced Mathematics Ensure Effectiveness of Working towards Demonstrating Specialised Mathematical Content Knowledge of Second-Year Pre-Service Teachers?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Livy, Sharyn

2012-01-01

The theoretical understanding that underpins a teacher's foundation knowledge draws on their common content knowledge (CCK) and influences their mathematics' teaching (Rowland, Turner, Thwaites, & Huckstep, 2009). Teachers who have specialised content knowledge (SCK) demonstrate a unique kind of content knowledge which is more than knowing the…

Primary School Teachers' Interviews Regarding Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) and General Pedagogical Knowledge (GPK)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sothayapetch, Pavinee; Lavonen, Jari; Juuti, Kalle

2013-01-01

Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) and General Pedagogical Knowledge (GPK) are fundamental types of knowledge for a teacher that he or she must use in order to plan, teach in the classroom, and assess students' learning outcomes. This paper investigates experienced primary school teachers' PCK and GPK while teaching science in Finland and in…

Workshop Results: Teaching Geoscience to K-12 Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nahm, A.; Villalobos, J. I.; White, J.; Smith-Konter, B. R.

2012-12-01

A workshop for high school and middle school Earth and Space Science (ESS) teachers was held this summer (2012) as part of an ongoing collaboration between the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and El Paso Community College (EPCC) Departments of Geological Sciences. This collaborative effort aims to build local Earth science literacy and educational support for the geosciences. Sixteen teachers from three school districts from El Paso and southern New Mexico area participated in the workshop, consisting of middle school, high school, early college high school, and dual credit faculty. The majority of the teachers had little to no experience teaching geoscience, thus this workshop provided an introduction to basic geologic concepts to teachers with broad backgrounds, which will result in the introduction of geoscience to many new students each year. The workshop's goal was to provide hands-on activities illustrating basic geologic and scientific concepts currently used in introductory geology labs/lectures at both EPCC and UTEP to help engage pre-college students. Activities chosen for the workshop were an introduction to Google Earth for use in the classroom, relative age dating and stratigraphy using volcanoes, plate tectonics utilizing the jigsaw pedagogy, and the scientific method as a think-pair-share activity. All activities where designed to be low cost and materials were provided for instructors to take back to their institutions. A list of online resources for teaching materials was also distributed. Before each activity, a short pre-test was given to the participants to gauge their level of knowledge on the subjects. At the end of the workshop, participants were given a post-test, which tested the knowledge gain made by participating in the workshop. In all cases, more correct answers were chosen in the post-test than the individual activity pre-tests, indicating that knowledge of the subjects was gained. The participants enjoyed participating in these activities and intend to use them in their classes in the future. Copies of the materials used in this workshop are available upon request.

Development of Pre-Service Chemistry Teachers' Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cetin-Dindar, Ayla; Boz, Yezdan; Sonmez, Demet Yildiran; Celep, Nilgun Demirci

2018-01-01

In this study, a mixed-method design was employed to investigate pre-service chemistry teachers' Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) development. For effective technology integration in instruction, knowledge about technology is not enough; teachers should have different knowledge types which are content, pedagogical, and…

Description of dynamic shared knowledge: an exploratory study during a competitive team sports interaction.

PubMed

Bourbousson, J; Poizat, G; Saury, J; Seve, C

2011-02-01

This exploratory case study describes the sharedness of knowledge within a basketball team (nine players) and how it changes during an official match. To determine how knowledge is mobilised in an actual game situation, the data were collected and processed following course-of-action theory (Theureau 2003). The results were used to characterise the contents of the shared knowledge (i.e. regarding teammate characteristics, team functioning, opponent characteristics, opposing team functioning and game conditions) and to identify the characteristic types of change: (a) the reinforcement of a previous element of shared knowledge; (b) the invalidation of an element of shared knowledge; (c) fragmentation of an element of shared knowledge; (d) the creation of a new element of shared knowledge. The discussion deals with the diverse types of change in shared knowledge and the heterogeneous and dynamic nature of common ground within the team. STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE: The present case study focused on how the cognitions of individual members of a team coordinate to produce a team performance (e.g. surgical teams in hospitals, military teams) and how the shared knowledge changes during team activity. Traditional methods to increase knowledge sharedness can be enhanced by making use of 'opportunities for coordination' to optimise team adaptiveness.

Creating and Facilitating a Teacher Education Curriculum Using Preservice Teachers' Autobiographical Stories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Le Fevre, Deidre M.

2011-01-01

Preservice teachers' autobiographical stories can serve as a personal, powerful, and poignant curriculum for teacher education. This research examines what and how preservice teachers learned through sharing their own and witnessing others' autobiographical narratives in a literacy methods course. The teacher educator's key role is examined in…

Language Teacher Research in the Middle East

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coombe, Christine, Ed.; Barlow, Lisa, Ed.

2007-01-01

An openness to new ways of teaching and learning is vital for growth among English language teachers, teacher educators, teachers in training, and students. This volume in the Language Teacher Research Series (Thomas S. C. Farrell, series editor) shares the studies and reflections of teacher researchers working in Middle Eastern countries with…

Continuous Enhancement of Science Teachers' Knowledge and Skills through Scientific Lecturing.

PubMed

Azevedo, Maria-Manuel; Duarte, Sofia

2018-01-01

Due to their importance in transmitting knowledge, teachers can play a crucial role in students' scientific literacy acquisition and motivation to respond to ongoing and future economic and societal challenges. However, to conduct this task effectively, teachers need to continuously improve their knowledge, and for that, a periodic update is mandatory for actualization of scientific knowledge and skills. This work is based on the outcomes of an educational study implemented with science teachers from Portuguese Basic and Secondary schools. We evaluated the effectiveness of a training activity consisting of lectures covering environmental and health sciences conducted by scientists/academic teachers. The outcomes of this educational study were evaluated using a survey with several questions about environmental and health scientific topics. Responses to the survey were analyzed before and after the implementation of the scientific lectures. Our results showed that Basic and Secondary schools teachers' knowledge was greatly improved after the lectures. The teachers under training felt that these scientific lectures have positively impacted their current knowledge and awareness on several up-to-date scientific topics, as well as their teaching methods. This study emphasizes the importance of continuing teacher education concerning knowledge and awareness about health and environmental education.

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.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of School Teachers toward Oral Health in Davangere, India.

PubMed

Maganur, Prabhadevi C; Satish, V; Marwah, Nikhil; Vishwas, T D; Dayanand, M C

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of school teachers toward oral health. Descriptive study. School teachers (n = 150) of Davangere city were recruited into this study. The subjects completed a questionnaire that aimed to evaluate teachers' knowledge, attitudes, and practices on oral health. The results were statistically analyzed and percentage was calculated. The participants' oral hygiene habits were found to be regular. The majority of teachers showed good knowledge on oral health. Most of the teachers in this study recognized the importance of oral health. The majority of teachers did incorporate the importance of oral health in teaching and educating children in the school. But, not all teachers are involved effectively. So, the teachers should be trained comprehensively regarding importance of oral health and creating awareness on oral health promotion for their students in combination with health care personnel. Maganur PC, Satish V, Marwah N, Vishwas TD, Dayanand MC. Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of School Teachers toward Oral Health in Davangere, India. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2017;10(1):89-95.

Tapestries: A Phenomenological Study on the Experience of Teaching in the Inclusive One-Teacher School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bishop, Krystal

This study was designed to better understand teachers as users of personal knowledge, examining teachers in inclusive one-teacher, Seventh Day Adventist schools. The study examined teachers' beliefs about teaching and learning, teachers' personal practical knowledge, teachers' professional identity, contextual factors that enabled or constrained…

Knowledge Sharing in an American Multinational Company Based in Malaysia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ling, Chen Wai; Sandhu, Manjit S.; Jain, Kamal Kishore

2009-01-01

Purpose: This paper seeks to examine the views of executives working in an American based multinational company (MNC) about knowledge sharing, barriers to knowledge sharing, and strategies to promote knowledge sharing. Design/methodology/approach: This study was carried out in phases. In the first phase, a topology of organizational mechanisms for…

The structural approach to shared knowledge: an application to engineering design teams.

PubMed

Avnet, Mark S; Weigel, Annalisa L

2013-06-01

We propose a methodology for analyzing shared knowledge in engineering design teams. Whereas prior work has focused on shared knowledge in small teams at a specific point in time, the model presented here is both scalable and dynamic. By quantifying team members' common views of design drivers, we build a network of shared mental models to reveal the structure of shared knowledge at a snapshot in time. Based on a structural comparison of networks at different points in time, a metric of change in shared knowledge is computed. Analysis of survey data from 12 conceptual space mission design sessions reveals a correlation between change in shared knowledge and each of several system attributes, including system development time, system mass, and technological maturity. From these results, we conclude that an early period of learning and consensus building could be beneficial to the design of engineered systems. Although we do not examine team performance directly, we demonstrate that shared knowledge is related to the technical design and thus provide a foundation for improving design products by incorporating the knowledge and thoughts of the engineering design team into the process.

Social capital and knowledge sharing: effects on patient safety.

PubMed

Chang, Chia-Wen; Huang, Heng-Chiang; Chiang, Chi-Yun; Hsu, Chiu-Ping; Chang, Chia-Chen

2012-08-01

This article is a report on a study that empirically examines the influence of social capital on knowledge sharing and the impact of knowledge sharing on patient safety. Knowledge sharing is linked to many desirable managerial outcomes, including learning and problem-solving, which are essential for patient safety. Rather than studying the tangible effects of rewards, this study examines whether social capital (including social interaction, trust and shared vision) directly supports individual knowledge sharing in an organization. This cross-sectional study analysed data collected through a questionnaire survey of nurses from a major medical centre in northern Taiwan. The data were collected over a 9-month period from 2008 to 2009. The data analysis was conducted using the Partial Least Squares Graph v3.0 program to evaluate the measurement properties and the structural relationships specified in the research model. Based on a large-scale survey, empirical results indicate that Registered Nurses' perceptions of trust and shared vision have statistically significant and direct effects on knowledge sharing. In addition, knowledge sharing is significantly and positively associated with patient safety. The findings suggest that hospital administrators should foster group trust and initiate a common vision among Registered Nurses. In addition, administrators and chief knowledge officers of hospitals should encourage positive intentions towards knowledge sharing. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Advanced Nursing © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Teacher Knowledge and Instructional Quality of Beginning Teachers: Growth and Linkages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Desimone, Laura; Hochberg, Eric D.; McMaken, Jennifer

2016-01-01

Background/Context: We lack strong and consistent information about which measures of knowledge matter most for good teaching and student learning, and what are trajectories of improvement for novice teachers. Research Questions: We explore the level, variation, and change in teacher knowledge and instruction in the first two years of teaching,…

Teachers' Knowledge of Children's Exposure to Family Risk Factors: Accuracy and Usefulness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dwyer, Sarah B.; Nicholson, Jan M.; Battistutta, Diana; Oldenburg, Brian

2005-01-01

Teachers' knowledge of children's exposure to family risk factors was examined using the Family Risk Factor Checklist-Teacher. Data collected for 756 children indicated that teachers had accurate knowledge of children's exposure to factors such as adverse life events and family socioeconomic status, which predicted children's mental health…

On the Content-Dependence of Prospective Teachers' Knowledge: A Case of Exemplifying Definitions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leikin, Roza; Zazkis, Rina

2010-01-01

In this article, we demonstrate that prospective teachers' content knowledge related to defining mathematical concepts is dependent on content area. We use the example of generation (a research tool we developed in a previous study) to investigate prospective teachers' knowledge. We asked prospective secondary mathematics teachers to provide…

Wrinkles in Time and Place: Using Performance Assessments to Understand the Knowledge of History Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Suzanne M.; Wineburg, Samuel S.

1993-01-01

Responses of two high school history teachers on three performance assessments of teaching, part of the Stanford University Teacher Assessment Project, were analyzed. Differences that emerged in teacher attitudes and knowledge level illustrate what performance assessment can reveal about pedagogical knowledge and the implications for educational…

Enhancing the Metalinguistic Abilities of Pre-Service Teachers via Coursework Targeting Language Structure Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Purvis, Caralyn J.; McNeill, Brigid C.; Everatt, John

2016-01-01

Low metalinguistic knowledge of pre-service and in-service teachers is likely to restrict the provision of evidence-based literacy instruction in the classroom. Despite such concerns, relatively few studies have examined the effects of teacher preparation coursework in building pre-service teachers' language structure knowledge. This study…

The Impact of Economic Education Courses on the Knowledge and Retention of Knowledge of Secondary and Primary School Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

France, Judith; And Others

1989-01-01

Attempts to measure the quality of inservice teacher education programs by examining impact on participating teachers. Uses a random sample of 1,200 K-12 teachers. Results showed economic education programs significantly affected understanding of basic economics and macroeconomic knowledge. (GG)

Preservice and Inservice Teachers' Knowledge of Language Constructs in Finland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aro, Mikko; Björn, Piia Maria

2016-01-01

The aim of the study was to explore the Finnish preservice and inservice teachers' knowledge of language constructs relevant for literacy acquisition. A total of 150 preservice teachers and 74 inservice teachers participated in the study by filling out a questionnaire that assessed self-perceived expertise in reading instruction, knowledge of…

Teacher Knowledge about Oral English Instruction and Teacher Profiles: An EFL Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Zan; Goh, Christine

2014-01-01

Teacher knowledge, as an important cognitive basis of teaching, has attracted tremendous attention in educational research in the last few decades. This study examines whether teachers' self-perceived knowledge about oral English teaching differs with regard to their professional profiles in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context in…

Mathematics Teachers' Knowledge of Student Thinking and Its Evidences in Their Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Çelik, Aytug Özaltun; Güzel, Esra Bukova

2017-01-01

The aim of this case study is to examine mathematics teachers' knowledge of students' thinking and its evidences in their teaching. The participants were three secondary mathematics teachers. Data were gathered from interviews and observations. While analyzing the data, the framework about teachers' knowledge of students' thinking was used. The…

Finding the Connective Tissue in Teacher Education: Creating New Spaces for Professional Learning to Teach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hopper, Tim F.; Sanford, Kathy; Fu, Hong

2016-01-01

A common concern in teacher education programs is the fragmentation of knowledge between courses that contribute to separation between discipline-focused theoretical knowledge and teachers' practical work in schools. Drawing on reviews on innovative learning spaces in schools and analysis of teacher knowledge, we theorize a conceptualization of…

Knowledge of Algebra for Teaching: A Framework of Knowledge and Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCrory, Raven; Floden, Robert; Ferrini-Mundy, Joan; Reckase, Mark D.; Senk, Sharon L.

2012-01-01

Defining what teachers need to know to teach algebra successfully is important for informing teacher preparation and professional development efforts. Based on prior research, analysis of video, interviews with teachers, and analysis of textbooks, we define categories of knowledge and practices of teaching for understanding and assessing teachers'…

Prospective Middle Grade Mathematics Teachers' Knowledge of Algebra for Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Rongjin; Kulm, Gerald

2012-01-01

This study examined prospective middle grade mathematics teachers' knowledge of algebra for teaching with a focus on knowledge for teaching the concept of function. 115 prospective teachers from an interdisciplinary program for mathematics and science middle teacher preparation at a large public university in the USA participated in a survey. It…

The Relationship between Teachers' Knowledge and Beliefs about Science and Inquiry and Their Classroom Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saad, Rayana; BouJaoude, Saouma

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between teachers' attitudes toward science, knowledge and beliefs about inquiry, and science classroom teaching practices. Specifically, the study addressed three questions: What are teachers' beliefs and knowledge about inquiry? What are teachers' teaching related classroom practices? Do…

Supporting the Transference of Knowledge about Language within Teacher Education Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fenwick, Lisl; Endicott, Michele; Quinn, Marie; Humphrey, Sally

2014-01-01

Teacher education is effective when pre-service teachers are able to transfer knowledge from content areas to practice. This study investigates the extent to which curriculum and assessment designs, along with teaching practices, supported pre-service teachers to transfer knowledge gained about language from a first-year course into a second-year…

Teacher knowledge of basic language concepts and dyslexia.

PubMed

Washburn, Erin K; Joshi, R Malatesha; Binks-Cantrell, Emily S

2011-05-01

Roughly one-fifth of the US population displays one or more symptoms of dyslexia: a specific learning disability that affects an individual's ability to process written language. Consequently, elementary school teachers are teaching students who struggle with inaccurate or slow reading, poor spelling, poor writing, and other language processing difficulties. Findings from studies have indicated that teachers lack essential knowledge needed to teach struggling readers, particularly children with dyslexia. However, few studies have sought to assess teachers' knowledge and perceptions about dyslexia in conjunction with knowledge of basic language concepts related to reading instruction. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to examine elementary school teachers' knowledge of basic language concepts and their knowledge and perceptions about dyslexia. Findings from the present study indicated that teachers, on average, were able to display implicit skills related to certain basic language concepts (i.e. syllable counting), but failed to demonstrate explicit knowledge of others (i.e. phonics principles). Also, teachers seemed to hold the common misconception that dyslexia is a visual processing deficit rather than phonological processing deficit. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Development of Early Childhood Teachers' Language Knowledge in Different Educational Tracks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strohmer, Janina; Mischo, Christoph

2015-01-01

Early childhood teachers should have extensive knowledge about language and language development, because these facets of professional knowledge are considered as important requirements for fostering language development in early childhood education settings. It is assumed that early childhood teachers acquire this knowledge during pre-service…

Foundation Content Knowledge: What Do Pre-Service Teachers Need to Know?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Linsell, Chris; Anakin, Megan

2013-01-01

The mathematics content knowledge of pre-service teachers is a growing area of inquiry. This topic requires further theoretical development due to the limited applicability of current cognitive and practice-oriented frameworks of mathematics content knowledge to beginning pre-service teachers. Foundation content knowledge is an integrated,…

Pre-Service Science Teachers in Xinjiang "Scientific Inquiry" - Pedagogical Content Knowledge Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Yufeng; Xiong, Jianwen

2012-01-01

Scientific inquiry is one of the science curriculum content, "Scientific inquiry" - Pedagogical Content Knowledge is the face of scientific inquiry and teachers - of course pedagogical content knowledge and scientific inquiry a teaching practice with more direct expertise. Pre-service teacher training phase of acquisition of knowledge is…

Effects of Biology Teachers' Professional Knowledge and Cognitive Activation on Students' Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Förtsch, Christian; Werner, Sonja; von Kotzebue, Lena; Neuhaus, Birgit J.

2016-01-01

This study examined the effects of teachers' biology-specific dimensions of professional knowledge--pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and content knowledge (CK)--and cognitively activating biology instruction, as a feature of instructional quality, on students' learning. The sample comprised 39 German secondary school teachers whose lessons on…

Knowledge, English and the Formation of Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yandell, John

2017-01-01

This paper explores some widespread assumptions about knowledge, and particularly the disciplinary or subject knowledge that is construed as an essential property of effective teachers. Drawing on close observation of pre-service teachers' work in secondary school classrooms, it argues that knowledge is born from social engagement and has its life…

Mathematics University Teachers' Perception of Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khakbaz, Azimehsadat

2016-01-01

Teaching mathematics in university levels is one of the most important fields of research in the area of mathematics education. Nevertheless, there is little information about teaching knowledge of mathematics university teachers. Pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) provides a suitable framework to study knowledge of teachers. The purpose of this…

Working With Greenlandic Fishermen: A New Approach to Citizen Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turrin, M.; Porter, D. F.; Greve, S.

2014-12-01

'Leveraging Local Knowledge to Measure Greenland Fjords' is a science project designed with local knowledge sharing and data collection at its core. Citizen Science can take many different forms but in each instance it incorporates active participation of the general public in science research through integrating outreach, instruction, information gathering and data exchange. The strongest projects focus on two-way information exchange with both the citizen scientist and the professional scientist learning when they share their knowledge. Working in cooperation with both teachers and fishermen in a small local community in northwest Greenland, we collected novel oceanographic measurements from a small 5 m fishing boat in the local fjord. We established connections with the local school for developing education initiatives, sharing maps and other resources, and worked through the teachers to connect with the village residents. We hosted a community meeting to provide a forum for a two-way information exchange with the science team providing background on the research project and the local residents providing both narrative information on local environmental change over the last one to three decades, and more quantitative and immediately useful information on fjord depths, iceberg flow directions and timing of seasonal ice break up and move out. The local fishermen were intimately familiar with the local environment, having intrinsically collected data on fjord depth from their regular lowering of fishing line to catch Greenlandic halibut, a benthic fish. For our first trip they worked with us locating the deep and shallow parts of the fjord from many seasons of watching icebergs ground on the shallow shoals, and showed us how to navigate into the ice packed glacial front through the dense ice mélange. The local community interest in the project and in learning how to use the equipment we had brought encouraged us to discuss a long-term data gathering relationship, with the fishermen at the center of the collection. They were interested in the findings, wanting to see how the water temperature might differ from surface to depth. The same data we are interested in for better understanding glacial change is data they seek to explain impacts they have seen in their own fishing and hunting over the last several decades.

Secondary Physical Science Teachers' Conceptions of Science Teaching in a Context of Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, Dale L.; Booth, Shirley

2015-05-01

Pre-service teachers enter initial teacher education programmes with conceptions of teaching gleaned from their own schooling. These conceptions, which include teachers' beliefs, may be resistant to change, which is a challenge in contexts where teacher educators hope that teachers will teach in ways different from their own schooling. Conceptions of teaching found in different cultural and disciplinary contexts have contextual differences but have resonances with the results of research into teacher beliefs. Our sample of eight South African secondary physical science teachers was schooled in a system which encouraged knowledge transmission, but they were prepared in their initial teacher education for a learner-centred approach. After they had taught for a few years, we explored their conceptions of science teaching, using phenomenographic interviews. Four conceptions emerged inductively from the analysis: transferring science knowledge from mind to mind; transferring problematic science knowledge from mind to mind; creating space for learning science knowledge and creating space for learning problematic science knowledge. Internally these conceptions are constituted by three dimensions of variation: the nature of the science knowledge to be learnt, the role of the students and the role of the teacher. Media and practical work play different roles in the external horizon of these conceptions. These conceptions reflect the disciplinary context as well as the emphases of the sample's initial teacher education programme. This suggests that initial teacher education can significantly shape teachers' conceptions of teaching.

Validation of an instrument for assessing teacher knowledge of basic language constructs of literacy.

PubMed

Binks-Cantrell, Emily; Joshi, R Malatesha; Washburn, Erin K

2012-10-01

Recent national reports have stressed the importance of teacher knowledge in teaching reading. However, in the past, teachers' knowledge of language and literacy constructs has typically been assessed with instruments that are not fully tested for validity. In the present study, an instrument was developed; and its reliability, item difficulty, and item discrimination were computed and examined to identify model fit by applying exploratory factor analysis. Such analyses showed that the instrument demonstrated adequate estimates of reliability in assessing teachers' knowledge of language constructs. The implications for professional development of in-service teachers as well as preservice teacher education are also discussed.

Knowledge of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and its associated factors among teachers in 3 large primary schools in Phra Nakorn Sri Ayutthaya Province, Thailand.

PubMed

Muanprasart, Pongchanok; Traivaree, Chanchai; Arunyanart, Wirongrong; Teeranate, Chakriya

2014-02-01

Though attention deficit, hyperactivity disorder ADHD is a common problem in childhood. Thai teachers' knowledge regarding the disease has never been assessed. To identify knowledge of Thai teachers regardingADHD and its influencingfactors. Cross-sectional study was operated in three primary schools in Ayutthaya, Thailand. Standardized questionnaires comprised ofdemographic data, ADHD experiences and the Knowledge of Attention Deficit Disorder Scale, KADDS, were distributed to participating teachers. Results were reported using frequency, percent, mean, and standard deviation. Association between demographic and ADHD experiences and the KADDS score was identified by logistic regression analysis. Lack ofknowledge of ADHD among teachers was apparent. Only 19.4% of them passed the total scale of KADDS. Teachers under 31-years-old were more likely to pass general information and signs, symptoms & diagnosis subscales and total scale. In addition, familiarity with ADHD patients was associated with passing scores of general information subscale and total scale. Despite public awareness of ADHD, Thai teachers lacked knowledge concerning the disease. Young teachers were more acquainted with ADHD. Direct experience with ADHD patient might help teachers develop their knowledge on ADHD.

An e-learning platform for aerospace medicine.

PubMed

Bamidis, P D; Konstantinidis, S; Papadelis, C L; Perantoni, E; Styliadis, C; Kourtidou-Papadeli, C; Kourtidou-Papadeli, C; Pappas, C

2008-08-01

The appeal of online education and distance learning as an educational alternative is ever increasing. To support and accommodate the over-specialized knowledge available by different experts, information technology can be employed to develop virtual distributed pools of autonomous specialized educational modules and provide the mechanisms for retrieving and sharing them. New educational standards such as SCORM and Healthcare LOM enhance this process of sharing by offering qualities like interoperability, accessibility, and reusability, so that learning material remains credible, up-to-date and tracks changes and developments of medical techniques and standards through time. Given that only a few e-learning courses exist in aerospace medicine the material of which may be exchanged among teachers, the aim of this paper is to illustrate the procedure of creating a SCORM compliant course that incorporates notions of recent advances in social web technologies. The course is in accordance with main educational and technological details and is specific to pulmonary disorders in aerospace medicine. As new educational trends place much emphasis in continuing medical education, the expansion of a general practitioner's knowledge in topics such as aviation and aerospace pulmonary disorders for crew and passengers becomes a societal requirement.

An e-learning platform for Aerospace Medicine

PubMed Central

Bamidis, P D; Konstantinidis, S; Papadelis, C L; Perantoni, E; Styliadis, C; Kourtidou-Papadeli, C; Kourtidou-Papadeli, C; Pappas, C

2008-01-01

The appeal of online education and distance learning as an educational alternative is ever increasing. To support and accommodate the over-specialized knowledge available by different experts, information technology can be employed to develop virtual distributed pools of autonomous specialized educational modules and provide the mechanisms for retrieving and sharing them. New educational standards such as SCORM and Healthcare LOM enhance this process of sharing by offering qualities like interoperability, accessibility, and reusability, so that learning material remains credible, up-to-date and tracks changes and developments of medical techniques and standards through time. Given that only a few e-learning courses exist in aerospace medicine the material of which may be exchanged among teachers, the aim of this paper is to illustrate the procedure of creating a SCORM compliant course that incorporates notions of recent advances in social web technologies. The course is in accordance with main educational and technological details and is specific to pulmonary disorders in aerospace medicine. As new educational trends place much emphasis in continuing medical education, the expansion of a general practitioner's knowledge in topics such as aviation and aerospace pulmonary disorders for crew and passengers becomes a societal requirement. PMID:19048088

Knowledge Searching and Sharing on Virtual Networks.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Helokunnas, Tuija; Herrala, Juha

2001-01-01

Describes searching and sharing of knowledge on virtual networks, based on experiences gained when hosting virtual knowledge networks at Tampere University of Technology in Finland. Discusses information and knowledge management studies; role of information technology in knowledge searching and sharing; implementation and experiences of the…

Are preservice teachers prepared to teach struggling readers?

PubMed

Washburn, Erin K; Joshi, R Malatesha; Binks Cantrell, Emily

2011-06-01

Reading disabilities such as dyslexia, a specific learning disability that affects an individual's ability to process written language, are estimated to affect 15-20% of the general population. Consequently, elementary school teachers encounter students who struggle with inaccurate or slow reading, poor spelling, poor writing, and other language processing difficulties. However, recent evidence may suggest that teacher preparation programs are not providing preservice teachers with information about basic language constructs and other components related to scientifically based reading instruction. As a consequence preservice teachers have not exhibited explicit knowledge of such concepts in previous studies. Few studies have sought to assess preservice teachers' knowledge about dyslexia in conjunction with knowledge of basic language concepts. The purpose of the present study was to examine elementary school preservice teachers' knowledge of basic language constructs and their perceptions and knowledge about dyslexia. Findings from the present study suggest that preservice teachers, on average, are able to display implicit skills related to certain basic language constructs (i.e., syllable counting), but fail to demonstrate explicit knowledge of others (i.e., phonics principles). Also, preservice teachers seem to hold the common misconception that dyslexia is a visual perception deficit rather than a problem with phonological processing. Implications for future research as well as teacher preparation are discussed.

Nutrition Knowledge, Attitudes, and Fruit and Vegetable Intake as Predictors of Head Start Teachers' Classroom Mealtime Behaviors.

PubMed

Halloran, Katherine Marie; Gorman, Kathleen; Fallon, Megan; Tovar, Alison

2018-04-01

To examine the association between nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and fruit/vegetable intake among Head Start teachers and their classroom mealtime behaviors (self-reported and observed). Cross-sectional design using observation and survey. Sixteen Head Start centers across Rhode Island between September, 2014 and May, 2015. Teachers were e-mailed about the study by directors and were recruited during on-site visits. A total of 85 participants enrolled through phone/e-mail (19%) or in person (81%). Independent variables were nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and fruit/vegetable intake. The dependent variable was classroom mealtime behaviors (self-reported and observed). Regression analyses conducted on teacher mealtime behavior were examined separately for observation and self-report, with knowledge, attitudes, and fruit and vegetable intake as independent variables entered into the models, controlling for covariates. Nutrition attitudes were positively associated with teacher self-reported classroom mealtime behavior total score. Neither teacher nutrition knowledge nor fruit/vegetable intake was associated with observed or self-reported classroom mealtime behavior total scores. There was limited support for associations among teacher knowledge, attitudes, and fruit/vegetable intake, and teacher classroom mealtime behavior. Findings showed that teacher mealtime behavior was significantly associated with teacher experience. Copyright © 2017 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A "Knowledge Quartet" Used to Identify a Second-Year Pre-Service Teacher's Primary Mathematical Content Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Livy, Sharyn

2010-01-01

This paper draws on observation of a primary mathematics lesson prepared and taught by a second-year pre-service teacher who lacked mathematical content knowledge. A "knowledge quartet" (Rowland, Turner, Thwaites, & Huckstep, 2009) was used to investigate when and how a pre-service teacher drew on their knowledge of mathematics during primary…

Is Practical Subject Matter Knowledge Still Important? Examining the Siedentopian Perspective on the Role of Content Knowledge in Physical Education Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herold, Frank; Waring, Michael

2017-01-01

Background: The role that content knowledge, an important component of practical subject matter knowledge, plays for pre-service teachers (PSTs) in physical education teacher education (PETE) remains contested and unclear. Whilst some researchers emphasise the facilitative nature of such knowledge, others criticise that too much focus on content…

Using Multiple Lenses to Examine the Development of Beginning Biology Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge for Teaching Natural Selection Simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sickel, Aaron J.; Friedrichsen, Patricia

2018-02-01

Pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) has become a useful construct to examine science teacher learning. Yet, researchers conceptualize PCK development in different ways. The purpose of this longitudinal study was to use three analytic lenses to understand the development of three beginning biology teachers' PCK for teaching natural selection simulations. We observed three early-career biology teachers as they taught natural selection in their respective school contexts over two consecutive years. Data consisted of six interviews with each participant. Using the PCK model developed by Magnusson et al. (1999), we examined topic-specific PCK development utilizing three different lenses: (1) expansion of knowledge within an individual knowledge base, (2) integration of knowledge across knowledge bases, and (3) knowledge that explicitly addressed core concepts of natural selection. We found commonalities across the participants, yet each lens was also useful to understand the influence of different factors (e.g., orientation, subject matter preparation, and the idiosyncratic nature of teacher knowledge) on PCK development. This multi-angle approach provides implications for considering the quality of beginning science teachers' knowledge and future research on PCK development. We conclude with an argument that explicitly communicating lenses used to understand PCK development will help the research community compare analytic approaches and better understand the nature of science teacher learning.

Impact of Health Education on The Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Teachers Regarding Reproductive Health of Adolescents of Amritsar, Punjab.

PubMed

Kaushal, Pushapindra; Singh, Tejbir; Padda, A S; Deepti, S S; Bansal, Priya; Satija, Mahesh; Sharma, Sarit; Ankita

2015-05-01

Teachers play an important role in guiding the adolescents. Adolescents are ill equipped to deal with the impending changes in their body which makes them vulnerable to STDs, HIV/AIDS and premarital sex. This study attempts to study the impact of reproductive health education on the knowledge, attitude and practices of teachers, about which only a few studies are available. To study the impact of health education on the knowledge, attitude and practices of teachers regarding reproductive health of adolescents. Senior Secondary schools of Amritsar and Department of Community Medicine, Government Medical College, Amritsar, Punjab, India. Male teachers of senior secondary schools of Amritsar teaching class 9th-12th. Educational intervention study. Purposive sampling. The study was started with 155 teachers (teaching class 9th -12th) who willingly participated from 50 senior secondary schools of Amritsar district. It was carried out in three phases. In first phase, after taking informed consent, the teachers filled a pretested questionnaire which was followed by an interactive session on reproductive health in second phase. In third phase, to study the impact of the interactive session and the sustainability of knowledge gained, they were again administered the same questionnaire after a period of 3 months. Microsoft Excel, SPSS, Chi-square test. Maximum 74 (47.7%) teachers were aware of the psychosocial problems of adolescents. Majority 110 (71%) of the teachers had only partial knowledge about pubertal changes. 117 (75.5%) teachers were unaware about genital hygiene. Only 33 (21.3%) teachers had adequate knowledge about different STDs. 91 (58.7%) and 54 (34.8%) of teachers had adequate knowledge about routes of transmission and prevention of AIDS respectively. Only 37 (23.9%) teachers were imparting sex education to students. After intervention significant favorable changes were seen in their knowledge, attitude and practices regarding most of above mentioned topics. Although the baseline knowledge of teachers in most aspects of reproductive health of adolescents was found to be low, significant favourable changes were observed after health education.

Parent Teacher Education Connection: Preparing Preservice Teachers for Family Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Amber L.; Harris, Mary; Jacobson, Arminta; Trotti, Judy

2014-01-01

This article describes the Parent Teacher Education Curriculum, a Web-based curriculum focused on instructing teachers about best practices in family involvement and assesses its impact on the knowledge and attitudes of preservice teachers related to family involvement. Pre- and post-measures of preservice teacher candidate knowledge of and…

From Teacher to Teacher Educator: Reframing Knowledge in Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dinkelman, Todd; Margolis, Jason; Sikkenga, Karl

2006-01-01

This paper concludes our report of an investigation of two beginning teacher educators making the transition from classroom teacher to university-based teacher educator. The authors combined case study and self-study of teacher education practices to investigate features of the institutional context they encountered, the knowledge they employed in…

Negotiating White science in rural Black America: A case for navigating the landscape of teacher knowledge domains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yerrick, Randy; Johnson, Joseph

2011-12-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the nature of requisite teacher knowledge for teaching lower-track science students. Using video accounts, student focus groups, and teacher reflections researchers documented missteps, dead-ends, and unfruitful trajectories informed by the teacher's incoming knowledge and compared these instances to necessary modifications informed by students' voices and cultural artifacts. Our study revealed the shifting nature of sociocultural and pedagogical content knowledge of the teacher immersed in a context unlike that he experienced as a student. Results showed that teachers of majority backgrounds could learn to teach diverse students with at least moderate success from the perspective of their students. Implications for research and teacher education in diverse settings are discussed.

Extended professional development for systemic curriculum reform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kubitskey, Mary Elizabeth

Education standards call for adopting inquiry science instruction. Successful adoption requires professional development (PD) to support teachers, increasing the need for research on PD. This dissertation examines the question: What is the influence of high quality, curriculum aligned, long-term group workshops and related practice on teacher learning? I focus on the following subquestions: (1) What is the influence of high quality, curriculum aligned, long-term, group workshops on teacher knowledge and beliefs? (2) What is the impact of the workshops on teacher practice? (3) What is the influence of practice on student response? (4) What is the impact of practice and student response on teacher knowledge and beliefs? I focus on an instance of PD nested within a long-term systemic change initiative, tracing eleven science teachers' learning from workshops and associated enactments. The data included pre and post-unit interviews (n=22), two post-workshop interviews (n=17), workshop observations (n=2), classroom observations (n=24) and student work (n=351). I used mixed-methods analysis. Quantitative analysis measured teacher learning by comparing pre and post-unit interview ratings. Qualitative components included two case study approaches: logic model technique and cross-case synthesis, examining teacher learning within and across teachers. The findings suggested a teacher-learning model incorporating PD, teacher knowledge, beliefs, practice and student response. PD impacts teachers' knowledge by providing teachers with new knowledge, adapting previous knowledge, or convincing them to value existing knowledge they chose not to use. The workshops can influence beliefs, providing teachers with confidence and motivation to adopt the practice. Beliefs can mediate how knowledge manifested itself in practice that, in turn, impacts students' response. Student response influences the teachers' beliefs, either reinforcing or motivating change. This teacher-learning model suggests a PD design model for long-term systemic change, incorporating teacher practice and student response, providing guidance for teachers making adaptations that maintain reform. This dissertation responds to the call for empirical research linking PD to learning outcomes. These models are unique because practice becomes a continuum of PD, rather than outcome and stresses the importance of addressing teachers' beliefs. This PD design provides mechanisms for maintaining equivalence between the written and enacted curriculum, sustaining the integrity of the reform.

Using school grounds for nature studies: An exploratory study of elementary teachers' experiences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Willis, Tamra Lee

2001-06-01

The purpose of this study was to gain understanding of the experiences of elementary teachers who used school grounds to do nature studies. Following an inductive, naturalistic approach, the goal was to explore the phenomenon using words of teachers as guides to understanding. Interviews were conducted with a purposeful sampling of ten quality public school teachers in grades K--5 who were well-known for their schoolyard nature programs. Interview questions were focused by a theoretical framework of environmental cognition. Data were gathered about how teachers came to use the outdoors to teach and how they experienced teaching nature studies on the school grounds. A conceptual model of Quality Teachers of Schoolyard Nature Studies was delineated. The model consisted of three components: teacher past and present experiences with nature, teacher beliefs relevant to using the school grounds for nature studies, and teacher action efficacy pertaining to schoolyard nature programs. The model suggested a relationship between teachers' personal experiences' with nature and their beliefs about sharing nature with children. In addition, the model connected teachers' beliefs about schoolyard nature to their action efficacy, i.e. action behavior reflected through motivation and commitment. The participants shared many common experiences and beliefs. Most had extensive childhood experiences in nature and memories of adults who shared nature with them. They did not consider themselves nature experts, but felt they knew the basics of natural science from their own experiences outdoors and from working with children. The teachers' beliefs about schoolyard nature studies developed from several dimensions of their lives: experiences with nature, experiences teaching, and experiences with students. They were motivated to share nature with students on the school grounds by their beliefs that students would come to appreciate and understand nature, just as they had during their own experiences. In addition, they believed that schoolyard nature programs benefitted student learning and enjoyment of learning. The action efficacy of the teachers was influenced by their beliefs about schoolyard nature programs and beliefs in their own competence to overcome challenges and achieve goals. Implications for educational practice and further research were cited.

The linguistically aware teacher and the teacher-aware linguist.

PubMed

McCartney, Elspeth; Ellis, Sue

2013-07-01

This review evaluates issues of teacher linguistic knowledge relating to their work with children with speech, language and communication difficulties (SLCD). Information is from Ellis and McCartney [(2011a). Applied linguistics and primary school teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press], a state-of-the-art text deriving from a British Association of Applied Linguistics/Cambridge University Press expert seminar series that details: linguistic research underpinning primary school curricula and pedagogy; the form of linguistic knowledge useful for teachers supporting children with SLCD in partnership with speech and language therapists; and how and when teachers acquire and learn to apply such knowledge. Critical analysis of the options presented for teacher learning indicate that policy enjoinders now include linguistic application as an expected part of teachers' professional knowledge, for all children including those with SLCD, but there is a large unmet learning need. It is concluded that there is a role for clinical linguists to disseminate useable knowledge to teachers in an accessible format. Ways of achieving this are considered.

Knowledge Sharing among Academics in Institutions of Higher Learning: A Research Agenda

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramayah, T.; Ignatius, Joshua; Leen, Jasmine Yeap Ai

2009-01-01

This paper presents a research agenda for a funded research project on knowledge sharing among academics in Malaysia. One of the main objectives is to develop validate and measure of knowledge sharing which is suitable for academicians. Previous studies on knowledge sharing have used standard measurement items which do not cater for the multiple…

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schuster, D. A.

2005-12-01

The role of university faculty in promoting meaningful educational change through inservice teacher professional development has long been theorized, but seldom modeled. Cordial relations and clear mutual goals shared between discipline specialists, such as university scientists and the K - 12 staff development communities, have not existed, and dysfunctional relationships between K-12 schools and the university over the past century have inhibited the solidification of these meaningful professional development partnerships. Our research suggest that inservice teachers tend to learn more about scientific processes in settings where they have the opportunity to interact and engage in an environment where opportunities for learning are promoted by participation and work with professionals in the sciences: University scientists that fostered collaborative flexible environments and treated teachers as professionals appear to have had greater impacts on teachers' learning about the creative, imaginative, social, and cultural aspect of science than the university scientists who treated teachers as technicians. Our work challenges many of the seminal studies and in-depth literature reviews of the last 15 years that assert that an explicit/reflective approach is most effective in promoting adequate conceptions of science among both prospective and practicing teachers. It should be noted, however, that all of these previous studies were conducted in the context of preservice elementary and secondary science methods courses and the process of generalizing these findings to practicing teachers appears to have occurred only in literature reviews and is not clearly substantiated in published research reports. Our study recommends that science teacher professional development should involve initiating inservice teachers into the ideas and practices of the scientific community. Teaching is a learning profession and professional development contexts need to assign teachers a certain amount of responsibility for their own learning. The work of science teaching cannot be accomplished without teacher learning, and teachers of science learn about scientific communities when scientists invite them to engage in the context of scientific practice. Unfortunately, numerous state and federal policies do not support science teachers as they seek to achieve these ends. Many of these policies push schools and universities to design professional development offerings that attempt to generate social capital in order to improve the school as an organization and do not the enrich the individual science teacher. However, these systems of professional development do not acknowledge that scientific knowledge is rapidly changing and K - 12 science teachers and curricula require continual renewal if they are to be accessible and relevant to students' lives. The university is uniquely situated to provide contexts through which inservice teachers can realize the "social and cultural embeddedness of scientific knowledge" (Lederman et. al., 2002).

The effect of multimedia cases on science teaching self-efficacy beliefs of prospective teachers in Kenya

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nthiga, Peter Rugano

This study examined the effects of multimedia cases on science teaching self-efficacy beliefs of prospective teachers in Kenya using mixed methods in data collection and analysis. Collaborating with two teacher educators at Central University, I designed and implemented two multimedia case-based intervention lessons, one with prospective chemistry teachers and the other with prospective physics teachers. I determined the changes in self-efficacy beliefs using a pretest and posttest with the Science Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument (STEBI) for N=41 participants. I also collected data using a worksheet during the intervention lesson. When the prospective teachers went for their field practice, I sampled eight of them for in depth interviews to determine what they drew on from the intervention lesson during their classroom teaching. I used Roth McDuffie's et al. (2014) framing to categorize the comments that the prospective teachers made on the worksheet into the four lenses of teacher, students, task or power and participation. I used paired sample t-test to determine the changes in self-efficacy beliefs and then developed profiles of the prospective teachers from the in depth interviews. The results revealed that prospective teachers paid more attention to the actions of the teacher and paid less attention to students' activities. Their attention to the task was predominantly about the cognitive level of the task and almost always focused on the errors they noted. The prospective teacher noticing using the power and participation lens was not clearly delineable from the teacher lens, because most instructional activities that led to more participation were teacher actions. Science teaching efficacy beliefs has two constructs: personal science teaching efficacy (PSTE) and science teaching outcome expectancy (STOE). The PSTE scores were very high at 4.46 out of five on the pretest, and 4.41 on posttest. There was a decrease in the mean scores, but the change was not significant. There was a statistically significant increase in STOE (M=1.78, SD=5.8 t(40)=2.802 p=0.008) and an overall increase in the self-efficacy beliefs. The teacher profiles showed that prospective teachers drew from specific examples from the multimedia cases as well as learned from a gestalt interpretation of the teaching and learning activities in the clips that were shown. From these results, I discuss how prospective science teachers' self-efficacy beliefs are altered in the process of watching multimedia cases. Their beliefs about knowledge start to change from absolute ownership to shared and co-constructed knowledge in class, as seen in the decrease in the personal teaching outcome expectancy (PSTE) and an increase in noticing of students' role in learning.

Writing a Relationship: Home-School Journals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kay, Amy M.; Neher, Andrea; Lush, Lindsey Hall

2010-01-01

Three elementary teachers share how they engaged in active listening with the families of children in their classrooms by using home-school journals. Their use spans pre-Kindergarten to fifth grade, and the techniques and responses by each teacher vary based on need and intended purpose. The authors share explanations of process, findings, and…

What Do Young Children Dream about?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Honig, Alice Sterling; Nealis, Arlene L.

2012-01-01

Young children's dreams can be a way for teachers and caregivers to share with children and an opportunity for children to describe and even draw dreams. In two different preschool settings, in two different geographical locales, 94 children, aged 3-5 years, shared 266 dreams with a trusted, familiar teacher. Dreams were coded anonymously. The…

Teachers Rally around Writing: Shared Leadership Transforms Low-Performing Colorado Elementary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frazee, Dana; Frunzi, Kay; Hein, Heather

2013-01-01

To improve the quality of instruction and the achievement of all students, effective school leaders develop capacity, advocate, and create support systems for professional learning. Creating a team of teachers to share leadership, responsibility, and accountability for achieving collective goals is essential. This was the task of a first-time…

Comparing Teachers' Judgments of Learners' Speech in Chinese as a Foreign Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Orton, Jane

2014-01-01

Pedagogical norms for Chinese as a foreign language (CFL) shared by teachers, curriculum writers, and resource designers inside and outside of Chinese societies are yet to be established. To initiate and inform dialogue within the CFL community over shared expectations of learners, this study compared the judgments of students' oral presentations…

The Costs of Sharing: Attending to Contact in Composition Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heard, Matthew

2014-01-01

"Sharing" is a ubiquitous yet largely unexamined term in composition scholarship and practice. Scholars and teachers use the term widely to talk about practices such as peer review, collaboration, and student-teacher conferences, all of which have been used to support the relevance of composition as a social and communal act. Yet, as…

Shared Time, Shared Problems? Exploring the Dynamics of Paired Writing Conferences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yeh, Chun-Chun

2017-01-01

The teacher-student writing conference has long been recognized as being able to provide personalized instruction and contribute to learners' writing development. However, teachers often find it time-consuming to conference with individual students on a regular basis. Conferencing with pairs of students, therefore, may become a more pragmatic…

Online Collaborative Mentoring for Technology Integration in Pre-Service Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dorner, Helga; Kumar, Swapna

2016-01-01

The Mentored Innovation Model is an online collaborative mentoring model developed in Hungary to help teachers integrate technology in their classrooms in meaningful ways. It combines an online modular approach of formal pedagogical ICT training with an informal online community experience of sharing, developing and critiquing of shared learning…

Knowing and Teaching Fractions: A Cross-Cultural Study of American and Chinese Mathematics Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhou, Zheng; Peverly, Stephen T.; Xin, Tao

2006-01-01

Guided by Shulman, 1986 and Shulman, 1987 tripartate model of teacher expertise [subject matter knowledge (SMK), pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), and general pedagogical knowledge (GPK)], the present study examined 162 U.S. and Chinese 3rd grade mathematics teachers' expertise in teaching fractions. Results show that U.S. teachers lag…