Bridget Mulvey

Outcomes of nature of science instruction along a context continuum: preservice secondary science teachers’ conceptions and instructional intentions

ABSTRACT This investigation examined outcomes associated with nature of science (NOS) instruction along a science-content context continuum on the development of secondary preservice science teachers’ conceptions of and plans to teach NOS, moving beyond the common dichotomy of contextualized versus noncontextualized instruction. Participants comprised six teacher cohorts (n = 70) enrolled in a two-year Master of Teaching program. Participants were explicitly taught current NOS conceptions using activities that incorporated varied degrees of contextualization and were informed by conceptual change principles during the first program year. Participants’ pre- and post-instruction conceptions were assessed using VNOS-C questionnaire written responses and follow-up interviews. Participants’ views were classified by degree of alignment (non, partially, or fully aligned) with current NOS conceptions. Interview transcripts were analyzed using analytic induction to verify/refine VNOS responses and to identify patterns in NOS instructional plans and rationales. Wilcoxon signed ranks tests were run to assess possible statistical significance of pre- to post-instruction changes. Participants’ responses shifted markedly toward more aligned NOS conceptions post-instruction, with substantial and statistically significant gains for each assessed tenet (all p-values <.001). All participants planned future NOS instruction and most expressed a sophisticated rationale for this choice, including that NOS supported the teaching of key concepts such as evolution. These results indicate that teaching and scaffolding NOS lessons along a context continuum can be effective in eliciting desired changes in preservice teachers’ NOS conceptions and instructional intentions within the confines of the science methods course. Future research will examine post-methods course and post-program NOS instruction.

Introduction to special content section “The power of mapping in primary and secondary science education”

The genesis for this special content on the power of mapping in primary and secondary science education is based on our observations from 4 years of leading professional development for teachers on this subject. Over this time, we have seen successful adoption of maps and a range of geospatial technologies that has resulted in positive outcomes for teachers and their students. We also have witnessed the variability of such adoption, as well as cases where the connection failed to be made. There have been teachers who needed little convincing of the power of mapping and those for whom buy-in took longer. Furthermore, the cohorts changed each year with a different combination of grade levels, content, specializations, and computer technology available. Some came from high-need districts while others taught at affluent schools. We listened to teachers talk about the differences in their students from one class to the next and from year to year, and the variety of courses that they are assigned to teach. We observed technology preferences change based on district or school policies and resources, from laptops to tablets to Chromebooks, and had to adjust what and how we taught accordingly. Overall, teachers’ access to resources changes – from local classroom design to global technology advances, as does their exposure to external influences such as revisions to content standards and student testing policies. In essence, dynamic scales of influence and an uncertain context (including geographic – Kwan, 2012) operate on teachers in their classrooms. Any work toward having them integrate mapping must realistically account for these scales and contexts. It is promising that there is an ever-growing body of research on the use of mapping in primary and secondary schools, and many studies are addressing this influence of confounding issues. However, in preparing for our professional development, we gravitated toward different studies to inform our work. It is not surprising that the relevant research is often siloed into geography/geographic information science or science education. Furthermore, there was a lack of evidence on how to proceed with our teachers in resourcechallenged settings or who taught students with special needs. As there is a well-established need to broaden participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), this dearth of information is a gap in clear need of more contributions. This special content section is a direct response to this need and has the following two objectives. First, it aims to consolidate the current state of knowledge on best practices for integrating maps and mapping technologies for science in primary and secondary education. Second, it seeks to create awareness across disciplines and stakeholders, including policymakers, of what is traditionally siloed – but complementary–research in science education, geography, and allied disciplines. Guiding these specific objectives is our observation that with improved usability, costs, and availability, web-based Geographic Information System (GIS) and geospatial technologies continue to increase in their potential to improve teachers’ and students’ awareness of and participation in science, including cartography and geographic information science. Yet students have not had equal access to such geospatial technologies, constraining the impact on the sciences and their future diversity and innovation. Therefore, this special section is devoted to research on mapping in primary and secondary education in two areas: high need schools and school districts/divisions, especially those with limited resources such as little to no computer access and special education; an important context rarely considered in science education. Given this background and set of high ideals, selecting articles was challenging and a number of quality manuscripts have not been included. The two that are presented in the following pages are exceptional in answering the call. They concisely but thoroughly consolidate the body of knowledge. They demonstrate transdisciplinary collaboration across the sciences and education with a focus on students with special needs and schools with resource challenges. Furthermore, they account for the dynamic scales of influence and uncertain contexts in which teachers are expected to excel. They provide evidence-based guidance to harCARTOGRAPHY AND GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SCIENCE, 2018 VOL. 45, NO. 4, 289–291 https://doi.org/10.1080/15230406.2018.1429167

Making learning last: teachers’ long-term retention of improved nature of science conceptions and instructional rationales

ABSTRACT Despite successful attempts to improve learners’ nature of science (NOS) conceptions through explicit, reflective approaches, retention of improved conceptions is rarely addressed in research. The issue of context for NOS instruction has implications for this retention. Whether to contextualise has been the question occupying science educators’ attention. We think this question is misplaced. Instead, we build upon recent research addressing a context continuum – drawing on the strengths of both contextualised and noncontextualised NOS instruction – to improve retention. Although there are many different potential contexts for NOS instruction, this investigation focuses on science content as context. The present investigation focused on long-term retention of improved NOS conceptions and rationales for NOS instruction. Participants were all 25 teachers who completed a professional development programme (PDP) utilising a mixed contextualisation approach to NOS instruction. We classified teachers’ NOS conceptions into three levels of understanding using the Views of the Nature of Science Form-C responses and interviews three times over the year: pre-, post-, and 10-month delayed post-PDP. Results indicated that initially participants held many alternative NOS conceptions. Post-instruction, responses were substantially improved across all NOS concepts. Furthermore, nearly all of the participants’ conceptions were retained across the academic year following the PDP. Participants offered varied rationales for NOS instruction including its potential to improve students’ scientific literacy, perceptions of the relevance of science, improve positive risk-taking, and increase tolerance for differences. These results contrast favourably with previous reports of the retention of improvements in NOS conceptions over time.