Science Teacher Professional Development Research Articles

Distinguishing Intuitive and Deliberative Reasoning Regarding Different Aspects of Science Classroom Discourse

Purpose The current study aimed to identify the distances between a science teacher's intuitive reasoning and researchers’ systematic analysis of various aspects of science classroom discourse. An expert science teacher, given the pseudonym Jake, engaged in self-reflective processes regarding different aspects of classroom discussions to assess the variations and similarities between the teacher's intuitive estimations and the researchers’ data-based reasoning. Design/Approach/Methods Data collection involved in-depth interviews and video recording. Six aspects of science classroom discourse were considered to elucidate the distances: structure, interactional pattern, verbal sequence, typology, cognitive demand, and communicative approaches. Findings The quantitative distances between Jake's estimations and systematic observations of the six aspects of science classroom discourse varied across different aspects of the observed science lesson. While no consistent pattern was observed in the distances, there were increasing and decreasing gaps between the different aspects of science classroom discourse. Originality/Value Considering the contemporary arguments on human cognition and the professional development of science teachers, potential reasons for the differences were explored. Educational recommendations were provided, particularly regarding supporting science teachers’ journey toward becoming reflective inquirers or researcher-teachers.

Enhancement of Secondary Science Teacher’s Professional Knowledge in Learning Pedagogical Content Knowledge through Involving in Professional Learning Community

The qualitative research study explored Bangladeshi secondary science teacher’s experiences working in a professional learning community (PLC) in terms of enhancing professional knowledge in learning pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). The research questions that guided this study are: (1) What are the learning experiences of the secondary science teachers regarding their involvement in a Professional Learning Community (PLC) as a means of professional learning for enhancing their Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK)? (2) How do Secondary Science teachers apply their learning from Professional Learning Communities (PLC) to their teaching plans and practices through the Content Representation (CoRe) framework? (3) How do secondary science teachers use the knowledge gained from participation in a professional learning community (PLC) to design and implement effective teaching strategies in their classrooms? The study is based on a constructivist approach to learning, which views knowledge construction as a socially mediated process. Therefore, teachers’ experiences were collected as qualitative data through analyzing teachers’ lesson plans and self-reflective journals. As a result, the findings showed teacher’s enhanced professional knowledge working in a PLC in sizing up the topic, identifying the importance of the topic, exploring self-content knowledge relevant to the topic, knowing what learners might think, identifying contextual factors choosing the topic and examples, selecting more appropriate teaching-learning and assessment strategies. The findings of this study are expected to provide insights into how PLCs can be utilized to enhance secondary science teacher’s PCK knowledge. This study is significant as it contributes to the literature on professional development for science teachers and offers practical recommendations for improving science teacher’s professional knowledge in learning PCK. Teacher’s World: Journal of Education and Research, 49 (1), 155-174

Responsive facilitation: validating constructs to support in-service science teacher professional development

ABSTRACT In the United States, science education has experienced substantial shifts in the last decade. For in-service teachers, professional development programs (PDPs) play an important role in reform success. Despite well-known core features of effective PDPs, research still suggests a range of results among programs that claim to use those features. An analysis of the nuances associated with these core features has emerged as an important step in bridging the gap between conceptual and actual effective PD. This article presents the validation of constructs for responsive facilitation, which may serve as a source of these nuances. Using an adapted Delphi Method, constructs were validated by multiple expert groups. A 10-construct consensus is presented with an eleventh remaining under dispute. All constructs have connections to current literature and may support the gap noted above. Implications include a structure that may provide nuance to the core features and support more consistently effective PD.

Science Teachers’ Initial Use of NGSS Science Practices in Diverse Classrooms

ABSTRACT In the landscape of U.S. education, the widespread adoption of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) offers a unique vantage point for researchers to better understand teacher-, school- and classroom-level factors that advance reform initiatives in science classrooms. Addressing a gap in current knowledge, our study probes how secondary science teachers implement one dimension of NGSS-the science practices (SPs). Our data collection encompasses teacher interviews and meticulous observations of science lessons, coded for NGSS science practices (SPs) and inquiry-based teaching. Embracing a methodologically rich approach, our study employs both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis. Quantitatively, we analyzed 801 weeks of lessons taught by 56 secondary science teachers and found patterns in SP use. Selected high-quality science lessons were then spotlighted, providing examples of the quantitative findings, showcasing teachers use of SPs and inquiry-based teaching strategies. Through our analysis, we found that physical science subjects and participants from the Master of Arts in Science Teaching program demonstrated a higher average use of SPs compared to their life science and undergraduate program counterparts. When analyzing the use of specific SPs, we found that analyzing and interpreting data (SP4) and mathematical and computational thinking (SP5) emerged as noteworthy. This study’s findings carry implications for science teacher education and professional development programs, urging efforts to augment both the quantity of rigor of SP use in the secondary science classroom. Our research contributes insights that can inform strategies for the enhancement of science education alignment with the objectives set forth by NGSS

Research on mentoring in science education: A bibliometric analysis

Mentoring plays a crucial role in the professional development of science teachers by providing invaluable career-long support, guidance, and resources. Numerous prior studies have emphasized the significance of mentoring for the professional development of beginning and experienced science teachers. This study analyzed articles published in Scopus-indexed, peer-reviewed journals on STEM mentoring. Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 67 articles were chosen for analysis. The data were analyzed using VOSviewer software. According to the results, almost half (n=33) of the journal articles indexed in the database were published between 2019 and 2022. The articles with the most citations were published between 2012 and 2015. <i>Journal of Science Education and Technology</i> had the most citations on mentoring. Most research has been conducted in developed countries such as the United States, Australia, and Germany. The United States has performed the most mentoring research. Rockinson-Szapkiw, Wendt, and Mondisa are the authors who published the most mentoring-related articles. In addition, mentoring, STEM, women, higher education, and science education were the most frequently used keywords. The co-citation analysis of the cited sources yielded two distinct clusters, one of which consisted of a comprehensive evaluation and synthesis of research works focusing on mentorship and practices at the undergraduate level. Our co-citation study of published sources resulted in the categorization of the 13 sources into three distinct clusters.

Technology-mediated lesson study: a step-by-step guide

PurposeThe authors are developing a model for rural science teacher professional development, building teacher expertise and collaboration and creating high-quality science lessons: technology-mediated lesson study (TMLS).Design/methodology/approachTMLS provided the means for geographically distributed teachers to collaborate, develop, implement and improve lessons. TMLS uses technology to capture lesson implementation and collaborate on lesson iterations.FindingsThis paper describes the seven steps of the TMLS process with examples, showing how teachers develop their content and pedagogical knowledge while building relationships.Originality/valueThe TMLS approach provides an innovative option for teachers to collaborate across distances and form strong, lasting relationships with others.

The Effectiveness of Face-to-Face versus Online Delivery of Continuing Professional Development for Science Teachers: A Systematic Review

Purpose: This systematic review assesses the effectiveness of face-to-face and online delivery modes of continuing professional development (CPD) for science teachers. It focuses on three aspects: evaluating the effectiveness of these modes, summarizing the literature on the factors influencing them, and conducting a comparative analysis of their advantages. Methods: The research team employed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method and the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) for article quality assessment. A total of 12 articles, selected from a potential 82, were included in the study. Results: This research suggests that the face-to-face and online CPD modes are equally effective and that external factors, such as psychological variables and establishing communication communities, influence their effectiveness. Face-to-face CPD fosters communication communities, while online CPD offers geographical flexibility and cost-saving benefits. Implications: The effectiveness of face-to-face and online CPD relies on external psychosocial factors. Future research should focus on strategies to enhance participants’ communication engagement in online communities. Additionally, it is worth conducting further investigations of the potential relationships between psychosocial variables and the effectiveness of online CPD, along with the impact of digital skills on online CPD.

An Elementary Teacher’s Development of Using Representations: Comparing 2 Years’ Teaching in Earth Science Unit

ABSTRACT This study explores a third-grade teacher’s (Deb) developing knowledge and practice for incorporating representations into her teaching of science over the course of 2 years. Data was gathered from the same science unit (Rock Formation) over 2 years, and consisted of video of seven lessons, one of which was the same lesson taught over both years. Also collected were artifacts from the lessons, pre (planning) and post (reflection) lesson conversations for each of the seven lessons, and interviews conducted with Deb before and after her teaching of the full unit each year. The results showed Deb’s learning process of using representations was multi-faceted and incremental. Even with using the same representation forms and/or activities, in the second year, Deb was able to 1) incorporate representations on multiple aspects of teaching such as reviewing previous knowledge, introducing new topics, and assessing students thinking; 2) use multiple representations in one aspect of teaching; 3) engage students in higher levels of learning. These changes were related to Deb’s reasoning of selecting representations, which are described further in the paper. This research contributes to an emerging knowledge base on what teachers know and are able to do with incorporating science representations into their practice. It also contributes to the field of science teacher professional development and the need for considering the multi-faceted nature of teacher learning. Implications for teacher professional development are discussed.

Professional development of science teachers in Latin America: a systematic review

ABSTRACT This review aimed to provide an overview of teacher professional development programmes for teacher training carried out in Latin America, considering the critical characteristics for PD reported in the literature. The 34 studies were analysed based on six critical features that were identified as being important in order to achieve a positive impact on the practice of teachers. The analysis allowed us to identify the presence of the following critical features: (i) duration; (ii) content focus; (iii) active learning; (iv) programme type; (v) collaborative participation; and (vi) coherence in the professional development programmes studied. The characteristic of collaborative participation is expressed in the opposite way to what is reported as effective in the literature. While the five critical features are not explicitly mentioned by the most studies analysed, a tendency to consider these features in the design of PD programmes was identified.

Secondary Science Teachers’ Views and Approaches for Teaching for Climate Justice and Action

ABSTRACT Climate change is a growing global crisis with short and long-term physical and human impacts. Although climate change is a global occurrence, the impacts of climate change are not felt equally among all locations and all groups of people. Climate justice education is a form of social justice education that invites students to consider how the contributions toward and impacts of climate change differ across racial, socioeconomic, geographic, and intergenerational lines. Climate justice education can be impactful and may motivate climate actions and activism. To learn more about how climate justice education can be enacted, this mixed methods study sought to investigate Ohio secondary science teachers’ climate justice and climate action teaching practices and their reasons for their instructional choices. Eighty-six Ohio secondary science teachers completed an electronic survey about their climate change teaching practices, and 26 of these teachers were interviewed to explain their practices. Research participants most often framed their climate change teaching as a global social issue and as a current problem with primarily physical impacts on the Earth. Most participants who taught about climate change address multiple climate actions and at least one climate justice issue. When participants address climate justice, they most commonly address geographic injustices and least often address racial injustices. Teachers most often teach individual, apolitical climate mitigation actions and seldom teach collective and/or adaptation actions. Implications for science teacher professional learning and curriculum development are discussed.

Science Teaching in Culturally Diverse Classrooms: Application of Sociocultural Knowledge at a School System in Nepal

ABSTRACT This study focuses on teaching and learning science in three secondary public school classrooms with mostly culturally marginalized students from Gurung and Magar communities in a semirural district in Nepal. The study aims to understand how three science teachers in different schools engage students in culturally relevant transformative science learning. I use a constructivist case study design. Data were collected through 18 classroom observations, three interviews with science teachers, and a student focus group interview. Analysis of the data showed that culturally marginalized students are experts in the cultural knowledge they bring into the classroom, science teachers felt ambivalence between culturally relevant science and success in tests, and science teachers showed a need for greater pedagogical skills in cultural relevancy. The study suggests a need for focused and intentional culturally relevant courses in science teacher education programs and professional development. Educating teachers for more transformative and relational science teaching will support embedding cultural knowledge and values in classroom teaching and curriculum.

Professional development for science teachers: A bibliometric analysis from 2001 to 2021

The context of innovation education has made policymakers and researchers more and more interested in professional development (PD) for teachers. Along with that, the development of science and technology also leads to changes in the teaching of science subjects in schools, and thus affects the science teachers’ PD in many countries. Analysis of publications related to this topic will create a picture of important trends and contributions of scientists and the scientific community and will have many implications for policymakers and researchers. This study uses bibliometric analysis to analyze 431 documents extracted from the Scopus database related to PD for science teachers. The results show a sharp increase in the number of studies on this topic, especially from 2018 to 2021 and mainly from research in the US and developed countries. Moreover, the issues of most interest are PD for in-service science teachers in terms of training, fostering and teacher competence related to sciences; various aspects of the science teaching process are student, curriculum and pedagogical content knowledge; and the belief of teachers, and inquiry in teaching science subjects. Policymakers and scholars can find great authors, research centers, influential studies and frequently published journals on this topic to read and research. Further studies based on the combination of bibliometric analysis with other methods may help paint a more profound picture of research findings on this topic.

Teaching Professional Development and Learning Career Paths: Autobiographical Narrations by Science Teachers from Chile

Different studies show that personal, social and educational aspects, among others, interact in the continuous learning of teachers, with certain specificities in science teachers. A study was conducted with teachers who participated in the Program of Scientific Inquiry for Science Education (ICEC) of the Ministry of Education, in a university in the center of the country, using a biographical-narrative study with micro-stories. The professional development of science teachers and some learning generated from the Covid 19 pandemic was described. For this purpose, the study was conducted in two cases, asking about the story of being a teacher in Case 1, and, about the story of being a teacher in the pandemic in Case 2. Case 1 showed the place of initial teacher training in the biographies, the relationship between professional and personal learning, as well as the transcendental and social meanings of the teaching profession. Case 2 showed the prominence of collective and individual professional learning in contexts of crisis, as well as the new definitions of the professional role. These findings are discussed in relation to learning ecologies, personal learning environments, and inquiry in professional development.

Designing a research experience for teachers: applying features of effective professional development to a hybrid setting

ABSTRACT To facilitate transfer of teachers’ learning into classroom practice, science and engineering teacher professional development (PD) experiences should increase teachers’ content knowledge, disciplinary practices, and pedagogical strategies. As this can be difficult within traditional PD contexts, this study is a qualitative investigation of hybrid PD program design. The author explores influences on five teachers’ learning and instruction when seven features of effective PD, derived mainly from traditional PD, were integrated into both the pedagogical and practice components of a hybrid Research Experience for Teachers (RET) PD. Through constant comparative analysis of interviews, reflections, artifacts, and classroom observations, the author discovered that explicit connections between the seven features across pedagogical and disciplinary aspects of the RET facilitated teachers transferring their learning into classroom practices in ways applicable to their specific contexts. Thus, these seven features of effective PD hold promise as an organizing framework for designing and evaluating a hybrid PD.

How preservice and in‐service elementary teachers engage student avatars in scientific argumentation within a simulated classroom environment

AbstractEngaging students in scientific argumentation is a hallmark of high‐quality science instruction. Despite the importance of this practice, it is not a ubiquitous one within K‐12 classrooms since scientific argumentation is complex and difficult to learn how to do well. In this study, we examined similarities and differences in how preservice teachers (PSTs) and in‐service teachers (ISTs) facilitate an argumentation‐focused discussion with five upper elementary student avatars in an online, simulated classroom. Developing a better understanding of how science teachers at different stages of their career foster scientific argumentation will support teacher educators and researchers in designing more directed interventions to scaffold teacher learning of this complex practice. Findings showed that most teachers provided opportunities for students to engage in both argument construction and critique during these discussions. In addition, both PSTs and ISTs frequently prompted students to reference data or observations to engage in argument construction and were most likely to prompt students to agree or disagree and explain the reason for their agreement or disagreement to engage in argument critique. Finally, findings showed that ISTs used a wider variety of talk moves and used them more frequently in an integrated fashion throughout the discussions to engage the students in scientific argumentation. Implications for studying and promoting teacher learning of this complex teaching practice and for integrating simulated classrooms as practice‐based tools in science teacher education and professional development settings are discussed.

\u201cIt\u2019s all in the moment\u201d: a mixed-methods study of elementary science teacher adaptiveness following professional development on knowledge generation approaches

This special edition is based on the revelation that “the lessons learned and unlearned during COVID-19 grant us an unparalleled opportunity to reflect.” Here, we reflect on lessons learned related to teacher adaptiveness. We examined how the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the adaptiveness necessary for teachers to knowledge generation approaches aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards. First, we outline a three-year professional development program focused on knowledge generation approaches. We present findings from teachers’ experiences teaching science from 2019 to 2021, collected through consecutive form explanatory mixed-methods analysis involving written responses to vignettes (n = 474) and classroom observations (n = 58). Then, using an individual teacher case study, we explore how the shift to virtual teaching was supported by adaptiveness. Results suggest a significant relationship between teacher adaptiveness and the use of knowledge generation approaches. We conclude with implications for elementary science teacher professional development and present questions for further research on adaptiveness.

Effect of confirmation and structured inquiry on attitudes toward school science

AbstractGuided and open inquiry strategies are found to improve students’ attitudes toward science. Yet, confirmation and structured inquiry are more often enacted by teachers. The effectiveness of these approaches involving high teacher guidance remains unexplored. Students in six classes (N = 119, Mage = 11.25 years) were assigned to control (lecture) or treatment (confirmation or structured inquiry) groups. The intervention consisted of two units of 3 h each. Following the intervention, students in the structured inquiry condition reported more intentions to enroll in school science than their counterparts in the confirmation inquiry or lecture group. There were no differences in enjoyableness, self‐efficacy, usefulness, and relevance of school science between pedagogical conditions. The findings support the use of structured inquiry over confirmation inquiry and lecture‐based strategies for developing students’ science career aspirations, which has implications for science teacher professional development and the design of instructional resources.

Exploring the Influence of Science Teaching Orientations on Teacher Professional Knowledge Domains: A Case of Five Malawian Teachers

This paper explores the influence of Science Teaching Orientations (STOs) on Teacher Professional Knowledge (TPK) domains of five in-service Malawian secondary school science teachers. The study was grounded within Friedrichsten et al.’s (2011) definition of STOs and Gess-Newsome’s (2015) conceptualization of TPK. We gathered data using semi-structured interviews on the two dimensions of STOs: goals and purposes of science teaching, and beliefs about science teaching and learning. We used a questionnaire to gather data on the third dimension—Nature of Science (NoS). To understand the influence of STOs on TPK domains, we used data that we collected through classroom observations. The classroom observations were analysed inductively then deductively against the STOs dimensions and TPK domains. Results show that the first two dimensions of STOs influenced some TPK domains. There was no influence of the NOS on TPK domains. Although the teachers had correct views about the NOS, the lack of influence between the NOS and TPK domains raises questions about their Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) for the NOS. We discuss the implications of the findings on teacher education and in-service science teacher professional development.

Developing Paradigms, Patterns, and Mechanisms for Science Teachers’ Professional Development in Area-Based Networks in Thailand

The main purpose of this research was to develop a paradigm, pattern, and mechanism for the professional development of science teachers in area networks that was consistent with the needs of educational institutions according to the key priority agenda for development. The target groups used in this study were teacher production institutions and educational institutions in the northeastern region of Thailand. Research tools included data collection forms and questionnaires. The collected data were analyzed by standard statistical methods, including frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, priority need index (PNI), and content analysis. The results revealed that the paradigm, pattern, and mechanism for science teachers’ professional development found in the northeastern area–based networks of Thailand were individual-based development (ID), spiral patterns (SP), and multiple networks (MN). Individual-based development was a new paradigm of professional development that emphasized the driving force and quality from within by progressive and individualized programs using students’ outcome-based development. The spiral pattern was a professional development model emphasizing self-paced learning with diversity and an integrated model through blended, action-based learning, both on-the-job training and off-the-job training, using coaching and mentoring from the teacher production institution in the area. The multiple networks were a professional development mechanism cooperating and supported by a school, university, private sector, and local and national affiliation using school-based development. The way forward is to form a professional learning community using a cooperation network in a school which acts as a mechanism to drive policies for cooperative practice. Recommendations are offered as a result of this study. The results revealed that the paradigm, pattern, and mechanism for science teachers’ professional development found in the northeastern area–based networks of Thailand were individual-based development (ID), spiral patterns (PS), and multiple networks (MN). Individual-based development was a new paradigm of professional development that emphasized the driving force and quality from within by progressive and individualized programs using students’ outcome-based development. The spiral pattern was a professional development model emphasizing self-paced learning with diversity and an integrated model through blended, action-based learning, both on-the-job training and off-the-job training, using coaching and mentoring from the teacher production institution in the area. The multiple networks were a professional development mechanism cooperating and supported by a school, university, private sector, and local and national affiliation using school-based development.

Perception of the Next Generation Science Standard instructional practices among Vietnamese pre-service and in-service teachers

STEM education has been emphasized in many countries around the world because of its benefits for students in the new century. In response to STEM education, Next Generation Science Standard (NGSS) has released for a new vision of science education in which learning disciplinary content and crosscutting concepts is through engaging science and engineering practices. Educational reforms lead to a need for science teacher education programs and professional development. To prepare better for pre-service teachers, it is necessary to know their perception about these science and engineering practices. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the perception of pre-service teachers and in-service teachers’ implementation of instructional practices that align with NGSS as well as school principals’ views of science teaching. To get the goal, a convergent parallel mixed-method research design was employed in which quantitative data is a survey of science instructional practices from 187 pre-service teachers and 100 in-service teachers and qualitative data is interviews of 10 school principals in Can Tho city, Vietnam. The finding indicated that pre-service teachers highly evaluated science and engineering practices in teaching science while in-service teachers’ implementation of these practices was lower. In-service teachers tend to use more traditional instruction and incorporate students’ prior knowledge in their teaching. Although school principals revealed their appreciation toward teaching science through practices, they admitted that currently, implementation of these practices has been still limited.