Transitions in the Perpetual Beta of the NGSS: One Science Teacher’s Beliefs and Attempts for Instructional Change

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe current study, a uniquely challenging failed partnership, describes via an exploratory case study design the endeavors of a single middle school science teacher as he translated the reform messages of the Next Generation Science Standards into actual classroom practice. Data collected from both within and outside of the classroom revealed the pathways of change pursued and resisted as multiple data sources were charted within the teacher of interest’s interconnected model of professional growth. Findings reveal how multiple drivers impacted subsequent teacher beliefs as a personalized form of video-based reflective coaching was facilitated via a video annotation tool. By qualitatively portraying the complex relationship between a single teacher’s beliefs and his classroom practice the study’s findings signal the need for studies that explore nuanced ways of supporting a transitioning teacher’s self-efficacy. With the field striving to uncover supports that impact subsequent teacher actions in the classroom, the study also provides suggestions for helping teachers contend with the challenges that arise while instituting the difficult-to-adapt teaching strategies that accompany the Next Generation Science Standards.