Current reform efforts in science education focus on creating environments where students
grapple with and negotiate their own understandings and mechanistic explanations of scientific phenomena by using their knowledge of disciplinary content and science practices. In order to support this reformed vision, effective professional development (PD) for science teachers is critical. If PD is to shape teachers’ practice, teachers must experience a change in attitudes and beliefs. The research presented here explores the epistemic orientation of three secondary science teacher cohorts who were supported in different iterations in a larger professional development study. The epistemic orientation toward teaching science survey was administered at three time points for each cohort and paired sample t-tests were performed to analyze composite and dimensional scores. Our analysis revealed that change in epistemic orientation occurred for teachers who engaged in two years of supportive PD, but that one year of support was not sufficient to engender change in epistemic orientations. These findings further support the need for continuous, high-quality, longitudinal PD when the goal is a shift in science teachers’ epistemological beliefs and teaching practices.
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Multi‐Year Professional Development Grounded in Educative Curriculum Focused on Integrating Technology With Reformed Science Teaching Principles
Visions of science teaching and learning in the newest U.S. standards documents are dramatically different than those found in most classrooms. This research addresses these differences through closely examining one professional development (PD) project that connects teacher learning and teacher practice with student learning/achievement. This study examines the effects on eighth grade science teachers and their students in the context of a PD focused on the integration of information communication technologies and reformed science teaching practices. Findings from this investigation suggest that teachers who participated in PD for two years learned more about technology, improved their practice, and their students’ achievement was significantly higher compared to teachers who participated in one year of the PD or non‐participating peers. Science educators face multiple challenges as they attempt to deliver instruction in fundamentally different ways than what they experienced as learners. The delivery of this professional learning suggest that PD for science teachers should include educative learning experiences if understandings of reforms supported by research are to be realized.
more » « less- PAR ID:
- 10193002
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley-Blackwell
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- School Science and Mathematics
- Volume:
- 116
- Issue:
- 8
- ISSN:
- 0036-6803
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- p. 430-441
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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