Science Teacher Preparation Research Articles

Genuine Faculty-Mentored Research Experiences for In-Service Science Teachers: Increases in Science Knowledge, Perception, and Confidence Levels

ABSTRACTThe overall purpose of this multifocused study was to explore how participation in genuine mentored scientific research experiences impacts in-service science teachers and the knowledge and skills needed for their own science teaching. The research experiences resulted from a partnership between the University of Nebraska at Omaha and the Omaha Public School District. This Teacher-Researcher Partnership Program facilitated opportunities in inquiry, science content, interaction with laboratory instrumentation and technologies, critical discussion of literature, and dissemination of findings for participating in-service science teacher professional development utilizing an inquiry-based theoretical framework wherein we examined science teacher preparation via inquiry-based methods in the research laboratory. A mixed-methods approach with a convergent typology (i.e., qualitative and quantitative analyses conducted separately and integrated) was used to investigate the impact of the program on teachers. Our research question was as follows: How do teachers define and approach scientific research before and after a genuine research experience? We observed 3 emergent nodes or themes by which teachers indicated significant gains: science content knowledge, confidence, and perception. Moreover, we determined that participation by science teachers in a mentored research experience using current scientific technologies and tools improved teacher confidence in science and inquiry as well as an ongoing commitment to provide similar types of experiences to their students. These data support the need for the participation of in-service science teachers in genuine research experiences to boost technological and pedagogical content knowledge, con fidence in process and content, and the perception of translatability to the classroom.

Exploring Secondary Science Teacher Preparation Program and Suggesting its Development Direction: A Case of USA and Korea

Teacher quality is a topic of international concern, as it impacts student learning and teacher preparation. This study compared the undergraduate secondary science teacher preparation programs from two universities in Korea with those of Oregon, USA. We examined the programs' structural curricular coherence, conceptual curricular coherence, and curricular balance. Structural curricular coherence was determined by examining the overarching goals of the institutions' programs, the organization of the programs of study in terms of meeting those goals, and outside bodies of evidence. All universities were in structural coherence for various reasons. Conceptual curricular coherence was determined by examining students' perceptions of the connection between their preparation and their clinical practice. In case of Korea, most students from both universities were not satisfied with their practical preparation. In the US, the students from both institutions felt well prepared to transition to inservice teaching. To determine curricular balance, we examined the institutions' preparation programs looking at the credit hours taken in the four main areas of the teacher knowledge base: GPK (General Pedagogical Knowledge), SMK (Subject Matter Knowledge), PCK (Pedagogical Content Knowledge), and CK (Contextual Knowledge). The total credit hours taken in each category was very similar by country but the application and field component in the USA was far greater than those of Korea where the focus was heavily on SMK and PCK. The main reason for these may be the nations' licensing and employment processes.

Anticipating Change: An Exploratory Analysis of Teachers’ Conceptions of Engineering in an Era of Science Education Reform

While integrating engineering into science education is not new in the United States, technology and engineering have not been well emphasized in the preparation and professional development of science teachers. Recent science education reforms integrate science and engineering throughout K–12 education, making it imperative to explore the conceptions teachers hold of engineering as a discipline, and as an approach to teaching. This analysis draws on focus group interviews with practicing secondary teachers (n = 12) conducted during a professional development seminar. The goals of the seminar were to present engineering as a heterogeneity of practices and inquiries organized to solve human problems; and, to model design-build-test pedagogy as a new approach to teaching. Outcomes show teachers’ conceptions of engineering as a discipline are that it redefines failure as necessary for success, and that it can more directly link school learning to serving society. Teachers also anticipated that design-build-test pedagogy would disrupt procedural learning in science, and likely invert which students achieve and why. These outcomes are discussed in light of reform goals, particularly as regards issues of equity. Implications for science teacher educators are also discussed.

Planning for the Elicitation of Students’ Ideas: A Lesson Study Approach With Preservice Science Teachers

ABSTRACTIn an effort to better prepare science teachers to engage in high-leverage practices, this study investigates the choices and rationales of preservice science teachers in planning elicitation strategies and describes how their understandings about the elicitation of students’ ideas changed over time. Four cohorts of preservice science teachers engaged in a cycle of modified lesson study focused on the elicitation of student ideas. Findings suggest that the participants focused on revising the elicitation task to achieve greater task clarity and student participation and to provide more opportunities for individual thinking. One notable outcome of the study is the need for a greater conceptual distinction in science teacher education between elicitation practices in which resources for student thinking are identified and assessment practices that seek students’ progress toward learning goals.

Teachers’ Attitude towards Teaching Following In-service Teacher Education Program in Kenya

This paper assesses the extent to which teachers’ attitude towards chemistry teaching changes following a needs-and participatory-oriented in-service teacher education program in Kenya. Thirty six (36) randomly selected veteran teachers from 36 schools who attended a ten-day in-service program in Kenya. Teachers actively participated in formulation of session objectives and training sessions that involved practical and peer-teaching sessions, and made reflections on each training session. Data were collected using validated questionnaire before start of workshop sessions and at the end of training sessions. Data were analyzed using means, standard deviations, comparison of means using two-sample t-procedures, and effect size based on Cohen’s guidelines. From the study findings, there is sufficient evidence to conclude that teachers appear to have a positive change in attitude towards: teaching objectives; teaching strategies; lesson planning; ability to overcome teaching limitations; conducting practical work; and overall teaching of chemistry following in-service program focusing on teaching enhancement. The findings have implications on curriculum for pre-service teacher preparation and in-service professional development of science teachers. The findings also have implications on teachers’ classroom practices and instructional supervision in schools.

Cloud Pedagogy: Utilizing Web-Based Technologies for the Promotion of Social Constructivist Learning in Science Teacher Preparation Courses

The new guidelines for science education emphasize the need to introduce computers and digital technologies as a means of enabling visualization and data collection and analysis. This requires science teachers to bring advanced technologies into the classroom and use them wisely. Hence, the goal of this study was twofold: to examine the application of web-based technologies in science teacher preparation courses and to examine pre-service teachers’ perceptions of “cloud pedagogy”—an instructional framework that applies technologies for the promotion of social constructivist learning. The study included university teachers (N = 48) and pre-service science teachers (N = 73). Data were collected from an online survey, written reflections, and interviews. The findings indicated that university teachers use technologies mainly for information management and the distribution of learning materials and less for applying social constructivist pedagogy. University teachers expect their students (i.e., pre-service science teachers) to use digital tools in their future classroom to a greater extent than they themselves do. The findings also indicated that the “cloud pedagogy” was perceived as an appropriate instructional framework for contemporary science education. The application of the cloud pedagogy fosters four attributes: the ability to adapt to frequent changes and uncertain situations, the ability to collaborate and communicate in decentralized environments, the ability to generate data and manage it, and the ability to explore new venous.

Metacognitive and multimedia support of experiments in inquiry learning for science teacher preparation

ABSTRACTPromoting preservice science teachers’ experimentation competency is required to provide a basis for meaningful learning through experiments in schools. However, preservice teachers show difficulties when experimenting. Previous research revealed that cognitive scaffolding promotes experimentation competency by structuring the learning process, while metacognitive and multimedia support enhance reflection. However, these support measures have not yet been tested in combination. Therefore, we decided to use cognitive scaffolding to support students’ experimental achievements and supplement it by metacognitive and multimedia scaffolds in the experimental groups. Our research question is to what extent supplementing cognitive support by metacognitive and multimedia scaffolding further promotes experimentation competency. The intervention has been applied in a two-factorial design to a two-month experimental course for 63 biology teacher students in their first bachelor year. Pre-post-test measured experimentation competency in a performance assessment. Preservice teachers worked in groups of four. Therefore, measurement took place at group level (N = 16). Independent observers rated preservice teachers’ group performance qualitatively on a theory-based system of categories. Afterwards, experimentation competency levels led to quantitative frequency analysis. The results reveal differing gains in experimentation competency but contrary to our hypotheses. Implications of combining scaffolding measures on promoting experimentation competency are discussed.

Strange bedfellows in science teacher preparation: conflicting perspectives on social justice presented in a Teach For America—university partnership

Teach For America (TFA), a widespread and well-known route into the teaching profession, frequently partners with university-based education programs to prepare and certify its corps members. However, university-based teacher education programs frequently emphasize very different understandings of socially just education and priorities for training teachers from those of TFA. Accordingly, science teachers trained through TFA-university partnerships encounter conflicting understandings of science education, justice, and urban communities as they are introduced to teaching practice. In this ethnographic case study we explored the experiences and reactions of a cohort of TFA corps members in a science methods course as they engaged with TFA’s perspective focused primarily on enhancing students’ social mobility and the methods course emphasizing democratic equality through scientific engagement. The study considers intersections between TFA’s approach to teacher preparation and sociocultural perspectives on equitable science teaching. The study also lends insight into the contradictions and challenges through which TFA science teachers develop understandings about their role as science teachers, purposes and goals of science education, and identities of the students and communities they serve.

Case Studies of the Development of Science Teachers’ Practices of Socio-Scientific Issue (SSI)-Based Teaching through a Professional Development Program

This research aimed to assess three case studies of in-service science teachers regarding their practices of socio-scientific issue (SSI)-based teaching as they participated in a specially developed professional development (PD) program. Data were collected throughout the PD program from group discussions, observations, interviews, and the review of documents, and they were analyzed using within-case and cross-case analysis methods. The findings showed that the PD program had positive impacts on the teachers’ practices of SSI-based teaching. There were some modifications that combined their old teaching styles and SSI-based teaching; however, they attempted to link the science content within a social context in a way that motivated student ownership of learning. They modified their roles as information providers to be learning facilitators. Their students were also encouraged to employ scientific evidence-based reasoning to address the issues under discussion. The three science teachers also added questions to enhance student thinking about the application of scientific knowledge in society. At the individual level, teaching confidence and teaching enthusiasm had powerful influences on their practices of SSI-based teaching. At the school level, the amount of teaching time and the lack of experts on SSI-based teaching in the school were found to be barriers to SSI-based teaching. The results of this study contribute to the growing body of knowledge about preparing science teachers to link their science lessons to the real world, and they also provide a framework for future studies.

Where We Are and Where We Need To Be: Pre Service Science Teacher Preparation in China & Sri Lanka

The rejuvenation of a nation depends upon education and the development of education depends upon teachers. Thus, quality teachers are the spine for representing overall teaching levels. This is more in science education, the training of these teachers to the standards is a great need. This article discusses a proportional look into the pre service science teacher preparation in Sri Lanka and China with comparison to the National Science Standards in U.S.A. The reforms, pre service science teacher training and science teacher professional education systems contribute to producing competent science teachers to the education system in both the countries at different levels. However, it cannot meet the standards for remarkable increasing requirements of highly qualified science teachers in the context of new science education reform. More effective measures should be taken to improve pre-service science teacher education and it must also be altered, which is not easy. In this paper an attempt is made to bridge the gap between the previous reports findings, highlights problems associated with the planning and organization of in-service training and proffered recommendations towards improving classroom instruction and organization of in-service training for prospective science teachers teachers.

In response to David Greenwood’s ‘Place mobility and faculty life: mindfulness through change’ through the lens of science teacher education programs

In writing this review, I draw on the experience of David Greenwood (Cult Stud Sci Educ 10:5–16, 2015) whose ethnographic study sheds light on his growth as a faculty member who has taught in various settings that are quite different from the culture that he grew up with. I extend his thoughts on ecological mindfulness to encompass a culturally aware method of teaching based on place sensitized more to the needs of science teacher preparation programs. The methods used in writing the review included literature searches for articles that incorporate ecological mindfulness and culturally responsive teaching in science teacher preparation programs and reflected ideas voiced in Greenwood’s article. Although he seems that he is primarily addressing other faculty members, his experiences can be used as lifelong lessons for preservice teachers entering a primarily homogeneous workforce expected to teach an increasingly diverse student population. His humor, use of Haiku, poetry and mindfulness as a way of becoming one with a culture that he is not accustomed has many lessons that prove useful in training more culturally responsive teachers. In light of an increasingly diverse US student population versus a stagnantly homogeneous teaching workforce, his reflective practice will prove useful to teachers who are expected to teach students with cultures different from their own.

Pre-service Science Teacher Education System in South Korea: Prospects and Challenges

While much is known about the high academic but low affective achievement of Korean students on international comparative studies, little is known about science teacher education in Korea. As the quality of science teachers is an important factor determining the quality of science education, gaining an understanding of science education in Korea necessitates understanding the science teacher education system and the ways of leveraging quality science teacher preparation. Korea has a unique science teacher education system in many aspects due to its unique socio-cultural background. This study critically reviews the current state of the science teacher education system in South Korea in terms of the outcomes and institutional backgrounds, such as associated law and policy, teacher education curriculum, recruiting system and examinations. A careful review is conducted of the previous literature, official documents and statistics from the Korean government, and curricular documents from some teacher education institutions. The paper concludes with a discussion on the uprising issues in science teacher education within the socio-cultural context of Korea and offers implications to the international science education community.

Using the lens of pedagogical content knowledge for teaching the nature of science to portray novice chemistry teachers' transforming NOS in early years of teaching profession

Pedagogical content knowledge for teaching the nature of science (PCK for NOS) has attracted interest in recent decades. This study investigated the PCK for NOS of six novice chemistry teachers with various educational backgrounds. An interpretive case study was performed. Multiple data sources including classroom observations, field notes, semi-structured interviews, and teachers' artifacts were collected. The inductive process used to analyze data involved categorical aggregation, followed by a search for patterns and themes. The findings revealed that all participants had limited PCK for NOS in terms of all of its components. They had robust chemistry knowledge and expressed adequate views of a few aspects of NOS. The teachers focused only on the chemistry content and rarely taught or reflected NOS in their real practices. The findings indicate that the teachers did not reflect or teach NOS, which might have resulted from inadequacies in their teacher preparation courses, which did not greatly emphasize teaching NOS. The results of this research indicate that science educators and professional developers should use PCK for NOS not only as a lens to shed light on teachers' teaching of NOS but also as a framework to revisit the teaching of NOS in science teacher preparation courses.

Features of representations in general chemistry textbooks: a peek through the lens of the cognitive load theory

The goals of this study were (1) determine the prevalence of various features of representations in five general chemistry textbooks used in the United States, and (2) use cognitive load theory to draw implications of the various features of analyzed representations. We adapted the Graphical Analysis Protocol (GAP) (Sloughet al., 2010) to look at the type of representations used, the function of each representation, the physical integration of representations with associated text, the presence and nature of captions and labels, the indexing of representations, and the number of representations requiring conceptual integration on a given page. Results indicate that on average, in all five textbooks each page had at least four representations. Most representations served a ‘representational’ function, but a number functioned as decorative representations. Most representations were directly integrated with text, but some of the remaining representations were separated by a whole page from associated text. While many pages had an average of two representations that required conceptual integration with text or other representations, some pages had as many as six representations requiring integration. While using textbooks, learners can experience intrinsic, germane or extraneous cognitive load (Sweller, 1994). Our findings indicate that there are various features of representations that could help reduce intrinsic or extraneous cognitive load. However, we also found prevalent features of representations that imply high intrinsic cognitive load or are likely to lead to extraneous cognitive load. Implications for textbook authors and editors, textbook selection, instruction, and science teacher preparation are discussed.

A Science Education that Promotes the Characteristics of Science and Scientists: Features of Science Teacher Preparation

The three prior articles in this series have addressed teaching students in a manner that instills in them habits of thinking and action that reflect the characteristics of science and scientists. Achieving this is an essential part of STEM education efforts and demands overt attention to goals like those appearing in Table 1. As has been made clear in the previous two articles in this series (Clough 2015 a & b), much is known about teaching that effectively promotes these goals. For instance, Minner, Levy and Century (2010) synthesized relevant research reported between 1984 and 2002 to determine what impact, if any, inquiry science instruction has on K-12 learning.

Student Teachers’ Approaches to Teaching Biological Evolution

Evolution is fundamental to biology and scientific literacy, but teaching high school evolution is often difficult. Evolution teachers face several challenges including limited content knowledge, personal conflicts with evolution, expectations of resistance, concerns about students’ conflicts with religion, and curricular constraints. Evolution teaching can be particularly challenging for student teachers who are just beginning to gain pedagogical knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge related to evolution teaching and who seek approval from university supervisors and cooperating teachers. Science teacher educators need to know how to best support student teachers as they broach the sometimes daunting task of teaching evolution within student teaching placements. This multiple case study report documents how three student teachers approached evolution instruction and what influenced their approaches. Data sources included student teacher interviews, field note observations for 4–5 days of evolution instruction, and evolution instructional artifacts. Data were analyzed using grounded theory approaches to develop individual cases and a cross-case analysis. Seven influences (state exams and standards, cooperating teacher, ideas about teaching and learning, concerns about evolution controversy, personal commitment to evolution, knowledge and preparation for teaching evolution, and own evolution learning experiences) were identified and compared across cases. Implications for science teacher preparation and future research are provided.

Teaching for Creativity by Science Teachers in Grades 5–10

This classroom observation study explored how science teachers (N = 22) teach for creativity in grades 5–10 in Oman. We designed an observation form with 4 main categories that targeted the instructional practices related to teaching for creativity: questioning strategy, teacher’s responses to students’ ideas, classroom activities to support creativity, and whole-lesson methods that foster creativity. An open-ended survey was also designed to explore participants’ justifications for their instructional decisions and practices. The findings indicate that the overall level of teaching for creativity was low and that participants’ performance was the highest for teacher’s responses to students’ ideas category and the lowest for classroom activities to support creativity category. We observed that a teacher-centered approach with instructional practices geared toward preparing students for examinations was dominant and that these science teachers were bound to the textbook, following cookbook-style activities. Participants believed that they did not have enough time to cover the content and teach for creativity and that they were not prepared to teach for creativity. Based on these findings, we recommend that programs be developed to prepare science teachers to teach for creativity.

Managing institutional and sociocultural challenges through sociotransformative constructivism: A longitudinal case study of a high school science teacher

Using a case study approach, this manuscript describes the professional transformation of Gary—an Anglo, male novice teacher—by focusing on his first two years of teaching in a culturally diverse and economically disadvantaged school. As a participant of a larger hybrid, intervention project with peers, Gary received multiple hands-on and minds-on experiences for implementing sociotransformative constructivism (sTc) during the science methods courses and two summer institutes. sTc integrates cross-cultural education with social constructivism to provide a framework for teaching and learning that is more critical, inclusive, relevant, and connected to students' everyday lives. Using the structure-agency dialectic as an analytic tool, Gary's emerging sense of agency is documented in terms of two major themes: institutional challenges and sociocultural challenges. Moving away from traditional narratives of despair, this paper offers instead a narrative of engagement—a frank account of the struggles beginning teachers are likely to encounter (especially in culturally diverse contexts), as well as the potential successes they could enact through their agency. Suggestions are provided for enhancing the professional preparation of science teachers and for teacher education programs and school districts to move beyond good intentions and mission statements toward more transformative action. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 52: 448–460, 2015

Service Learning in Science Teacher Preparation Program: Concepts and Practices

Service learning is now challenging higher education in the 21st century due to head, heart, and hands are employed. The concepts of service learning influenced to science teachers preparation program in terms of outcome-based education. This paper aims to represent concepts relevant to service learning in science teacher preparation program and also practices of how service learning meets the 21st century skills. Documentary analysis and empirical study are employed for qualitative explanation. Finding revealed that service learning is an important instructional strategy in science teacher preparation program and it needs to be incorporated into curriculum for developing 21st century science teachers.

Science Teacher Preparation in a North American Context

This article provides a description of science teacher education policy in Canada and the USA. We focus on qualifications and procedures to obtain an initial teaching license, requirements for license renewal, and trends in our respective countries. In both countries, science teacher education is the responsibility of the province or state, rather than the federal government. Because these countries are composed of many provinces/states, each with its own unique characteristics, we focus on general trends, recognizing that exceptions to these trends exist. Our review indicates that science teacher education in Canada and the USA consists of a highly diverse array of licenses, requirements, and programs. While this variability provides flexibility for programs to meet local needs and to create innovative programs, it also creates the potential for teachers to enter classrooms with insufficient preparation. In both countries, multiple pathways lead to certification, many of which have very few science content or science pedagogy requirements. The science content knowledge required of elementary teachers is of concern in both countries. Secondary science teachers have multiple ways to teach with insufficient preparation in science content and pedagogy. The nature of science is notably absent from most science teacher education state and provincial requirements. Innovative program structures with high requirements for science content and pedagogy exist in both countries. Research is needed that compares program structures and requirements to determine their relative impact on teachers’ practices. Additionally, much remains to be done to improve the extent to which existing research influences policy.