An official website of the United States government
To center the science practices and make coherent the science experiences of prospective elementary teachers in an undergraduate elementary education program, we implemented a model-based inquiry approach across the physical science for elementary teachers and elementary science education methods courses. Prospective elementary teachers constructed scientifically oriented questions as science learners in the physical science course when presented with a phenomenon that would guide a set of investigations and the development of a visual model and written explanation to describe how or why the phenomenon occurred. The proposed presentation focuses on the questions prospective elementary teachers ask, throughout the semester, upon observing five different phenomena for the first time.
more »
« less
Prospective Elementary Teachers Explain and Model a Chemical Reaction
Prospective elementary teachers must engage in the science and engineering practices as learners of science before studying the pedagogies that prepare them to plan and implement science instruction. One way to enhance scientific literacy competence is by facilitating model-based inquiry instruction. Teachers possessing modeling and representational competence and knowledge of “epistemology of science” may carry out model-based inquiry with fidelity motivating students’ participation to construct written, oral, and visual (i.e., model) explanations and representations of phenomena that reveal “epistemologies for science” and conceptual understanding. We propose situating model-based inquiry in a physical science course for teachers where prospective elementary teachers are learners of science in a practice-centered environment. How do prospective elementary teachers explain and model physical phenomena?
more »
« less
- Award ID(s):
- 2142641
- PAR ID:
- 10466261
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Prospective Elementary Teachers Explain and Model a Chemical Reaction
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
More Like this
-
-
In 1908, Felix Klein suggested that to mend the discontinuity that prospective secondary teachers face, university instruction must account for teachers’ needs. More than a century later, problems of discontinuity remain. Our project addresses the dilemma of discontinuity in university mathematics courses through simulating core teaching practices in mathematically intensive ways. In other words, we interpret teachers’ needs to include integrating content and pedagogy. We argue that doing so has the potential to impact teachers’ competence. To make this argument, we report fndings from the Mathematics of Doing, Understanding, Learning, and Educating for Secondary Schools (MODULE(S2)) project. The results are based on data from 324 prospective secondary mathematics teachers (PSMTs) enrolled in courses using curricular materials developed by the project in four content areas (algebra, geometry, modeling, and statistics). We operationalized competence in terms of PSMTs’ content knowledge for teaching and their motivation for enacting core teaching practices. We examined pre- and post-term data addressing these constructs. We found mean increases in PSMTs’ outcomes in content knowledge for teaching and aspects of motivation.more » « less
-
Verification laboratory instruction lacks opportunities for students to pose questions, generate hypotheses, and/or determine experimental procedures. Students in such settings often follow prescribed instructions towards a predetermined outcome. However, the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) calls for more inquiry-based approaches through science and engineering practices. This pre/post comparison study investigates the impact of a new guided inquiry-based laboratory curriculum versus an existing verification-based laboratory curriculum on the physical science content knowledge of 98 preservice elementary educators. The results show no differences in disciplinary chemistry/physics items but show a significant difference in integrated items for the guided-inquiry laboratory. Such findings indicate the value of guided versus verification-inquiry for integrated explanations and have important implications for teacher education in light of NGSS.more » « less
-
Verification laboratory instruction lacks opportunities for students to pose questions, generate hypotheses, and/or determine experimental procedures. Students in such settings often follow prescribed instructions towards a predetermined outcome. However, the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) calls for more inquiry-based approaches through science and engineering practices. This pre/post comparison study investigates the impact of a new guided inquiry-based laboratory curriculum versus an existing verification-based laboratory curriculum on the physical science content knowledge of 98 preservice elementary educators. The results show no differences in disciplinary chemistry/physics items but show a significant difference in integrated items for the guided-inquiry laboratory. Such findings indicate the value of guided versus verification-inquiry for integrated explanations and have important implications for teacher education in light of NGSS.more » « less
-
Abstract Reformed science curricula provide opportunities for students to engage with authentic science practices. However, teacher implementation of such curricula requires teachers to consider their role in the classroom, including realigning instructional decisions with the epistemic aims of science. Guiding newcomers in science can take place in settings ranging from the classroom to the undergraduate research laboratory. We suggest thinking about the potential intersections of guiding students across these contexts is important. We describe the Classroom‐Research‐Mentoring (CRM) Framework as a novel lens for examining science practice‐based instruction. We present a comparative case study of two teachers as they instruct undergraduate students in a model‐based inquiry laboratory. We analyzed stimulated‐recall episodes uncovering how these teachers interacted with their students and the rationale behind their instructional choices. Through the application of the CRM Framework, we revealed ways teachers can have instructional goals that align with those of a research mentor. For example, our teachers had the goals of “creating an inclusive environment open to student ideas,” “acknowledging students as scientists,” and “focusing students on skills and ideas needed to solve biological problems.” We suggest three functions of research mentoring that translate across the classroom and research laboratory settings: (1) build a shared understanding of epistemic aims, (2) support learners in the productive use of science practices, and (3) motivate learner engagement in science practices.more » « less
- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
-
Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Conference Paper:
- https://doi.org/10.3102/2013571
