Charlene M. Czerniak

Beliefs about Teaching Science: The relationship between elementary teachers’ participation in professional development and student achievement

Because of increasing calls for school accountability, an increased emphasis placed on the role of the teacher, and theoretical connections between teacher beliefs and classroom action, a critical need exists to examine teacher professional development programs to determine their impact on teacher belief systems, teaching practices, and student learning. The primary goal of this study was to assess elementary teachers’ science teaching efficacy as they participated in a large-scale professional development program and to determine the relationship of these beliefs with student learning. It was found that elementary teachers who participated in a long-term, intense (over 100 contact hours annually) science professional development program displayed significant gains in their science teaching self-efficacy. Several background variables were found to be predictive of teacher beliefs including how often teachers spend teaching science. Males tended to display more positive beliefs than their female counterparts. Although a small portion of the variance was explained, teacher beliefs and the number of hours participating in the research-based professional development program were significantly predictive of students’ science achievement. Other factors may be involved in teachers’ beliefs and their connection with student learning, including classroom practices, curriculum materials, support systems, and student background variables. These factors should be the target of future investigations.

Elementary Teachers’ Beliefs About Teaching Science and Classroom Practice: An Examination of Pre/Post NCLB Testing in Science

The impact of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) mandated state science assessment on elementary teachers’ beliefs about teaching science and their classroom practice is relatively unknown. For many years, the teaching of science has been minimized in elementary schools in favor of more emphasis on reading and mathematics. This study examines the dynamics of bringing science to the forefront of assessment in elementary schools and the resulting teacher belief and instructional shifts that take place in response to NCLB. Results indicated that teachers’ beliefs about teaching science remained unchanged despite policy changes mandated in NCLB. Teacher beliefs related to their perceptions of what their administrators and peer groups’ think they should be doing influenced their practice the most. Most teachers reported positive feelings and attitudes about science and reported that their students had positive feelings and attitudes about science; however, teachers reported teaching science less as a result of NCLB. Implications for elementary science education reform and policy are discussed.

Social Behaviors and Gender Differences among Preschoolers: Implications for Science Activities.

Abstract Ethnographic studies involving the learning of science by younger children are fewer in number compared with other science education studies. This two-year study focused on the social behaviors and gender differences among preschoolers (4 to 5 years old) engaging in science activities. Findings indicate that the social behaviors of boys and girls were stereotypical. Boys tended to exhibit curiosity, spontaneity, and extensive prior knowledge about nature (vertebrates, invertebrates, and plants). Boys also tended toward aggressive, competitive, and sometimes violent behavior. Girls tended to display a submissive countenance, fear of arthropods, yet caring for the welfare of other animals. During free time, preference for same-gender peer interactions was observed while boys played with Legos, blocks, and cars, whereas girls played with puzzles, books, and the housekeeping center. These toy preferences have implications for science education. The science concepts learned during group time the previous day influenced the context of activity that preschoolers engaged in during free play the next day.

Constraints to Changing Pedagogical Practices in Higher Education: An example from Japanese lesson study

This article describes a qualitative study of college mathematics and science faculty (n = 6) and their engagement in a reform-based program, Japanese lesson study (LS), to change their teaching practices. LS is a process in which a team of four to six teachers jointly design, teach, observe, analyze, and revise a single class lesson. A series of semi-structured, open-ended, interviews was completed with each of the faculty participants. Two sets of assertions were developed from analyses of the data and examples and explanations corroborating each assertion are provided. The results of the study identified issues related to organizational and faculty changes that need to be addressed if faculty responses to pedagogical innovations are to succeed. Implications of the findings for practice and future research are discussed.

Investigating the Impact of NGSS-Aligned Professional Development on PreK-3 Teachers’ Science Content Knowledge and Pedagogy

This pilot study investigates the impact of a 2-week professional development Summer Institute on PK-3 teachers’ knowledge and practices. This Summer Institute is a component of [program], a large-scale early-childhood science project that aims to transform PK-3 science teaching. The mixed-methods study examined concept maps, lesson plans, and classroom observations to measure possible changes in PK-3 teachers’ science content knowledge and classroom practice from 11 teachers who attended the 2014 Summer Institute. Analysis of the concept maps demonstrated statistically significant growth in teachers’ science content knowledge. Analysis of teachers’ lesson plans demonstrated that the teachers could design high quality science inquiry lessons aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards following the professional development. Finally, examination of teachers’ pre- and post-Summer Institute videotaped inquiry lessons showed evidence that teachers were incorporating new inquiry practices into their teaching, especially regarding classroom discourse. Our results suggest that an immersive inquiry experience is effective at beginning a shift towards reform-aligned science and engineering instruction but that early elementary educators require additional support for full mastery.

The Use of Geospatial Technologies Instruction within a Student/ Teacher/Scientist Partnership: Increasing Students' Geospatial Skills and Atmospheric Concept Knowledge

ABSTRACT Many 21st century careers rely on geospatial skills; yet, curricula and professional development lag behind in incorporating these skills. As a result, many teachers have limited experience or preparation for teaching geospatial skills. One strategy for overcoming such problems is the creation of a student/teacher/scientist (STS) partnership within schools. This study investigated the extent to which the use of geospatial technologies (GST) within a STS partnership improved the geospatial skills and atmospheric science concept knowledge of high school and junior high school students who were primarily from high-needs schools. During the course of a 5 d summer institute, scientists who use GST in their research taught teachers how to use the geospatial technologies of remote sensing, geographic information systems, and global positioning systems. This phase was followed by instruction in standards-based activities, taught by a master teacher, which participating teachers could use to integrate GST in their curriculum. During the school year following the summer institute, teachers taught their students the use of the geospatial skills. Students then applied these skills to collect field data, which were shared with scientists. Instruction culminated in the preparation of individual inquiry-based student projects that were presented to scientists, fellow students, and community members at a mini-conference. The research methodology involved testing students before any instruction in GST and then retesting them twice: (1) once during the elaboration phase of instruction, subsequent to formal instruction and field data collection, and (2) again during the evaluation phase of instruction, after student engagement with their individual projects. Substantial gains were found from the pretest to the evaluation phase test in both geospatial skills and atmospheric concept knowledge. No interaction effects of gender and socioeconomic status were found.

Invasion Zebra of the Mussels: A Mock Trial Activity

In this activity, students learn about the important topic of invasive species, specifically Zebra Mussels. Students role-play different characters in a real-life situation: the trial of the Zebra Mussel for unlawful disruption of the Great Lakes ecosystem. Students will also learn about jurisprudential inquiry by examining the trial process. This activity will reinforce important knowledge and skills underscored in the Life Science and Science in Personal and Social Perspectives Standards in the National Science Education Standards (National Research Council 1996).

Wetlands An Interdisciplinary Exploration

The topic of wetlands provides a rich context for curriculum integration. This unit contains seven activities that integrate environmental science with math, technology, social studies, language arts, and other disciplines. In this series, students will identify plants and animals found in wetlands, understand the function of wetlands through the use of models, learn some of the effects of human behavior on wetland preservation, and use problem-solving skills to develop solutions to wetland loss.

Transforming Science Teachers into Scientist Teachers: How Philosophical Perspective Influences Teaching Effectiveness

Education for sustainability is an essential element of the global community that requires an underlying scientific knowledge. A Framework for K-12 Science Education] (National Research Council. A framework for K-12 science education: Practices, crosscutting concepts, and core ideas. The National Academies Press, Washington, DC, 2012) and Next Generation Science Standards (National Research Council, Next generation science standards. Retrieved 19 April 2014, from http://www.nextgenscience.org/next-generation-science-standards, 2013) emphasize engaging students in the real work that scientists perform. However, teacher education programs seldom provide opportunities for science teachers to gain these same experiences. Although required to complete continuing education, it often focuses on pedagogy at the expense of scientific investigation. An added challenge for sustainability studies is to represent the natural interdependency of science learning and teaching with culture, rather than focus on topics in isolation. Teachers can connect the philosophy of inquiry and advanced environmental science content using pedagogical methods such as project-based science that encourages placing scientific knowledge within the larger social context of environmental sustainability. To accomplish this goal, 20 middle and high school science teachers participated in a Master’s program in Biology (Ecology track) that combined project-based science with formal courses and independent scientific research emphasizing environmental topics related to sustainability. Scientific field studies, data collection, analysis, and frequent opportunities for interactions with scientists at professional conferences enhanced coursework. A mixed methods approach included in-depth case notes of teaching observations, performance rubrics, attitudinal surveys, and interviews to provide a comprehensive picture of project impact on the development of teachers who educate for sustainability. Findings mapped the development of personal approaches to learning and teaching that integrated environmental science with the local, regional and world issues that face their students.

A Case Study of a STEM Grant’s Executive Board: Challenges with Ownership and Initiative

The transition to a globalized world has led us to the realization that Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subject areas are critical for prosperity in a knowledge-based economy (Committee on Science, Engineering and Public Policy [CSEPP], 2006; Matthews, 2007). The United States needs to fill positions in science and engineering with individuals who are scientifically literate. Local and national job projections all point to growth in careers in sectors such as healthcare, information technology, engineering, and manufacturing that require a background in science and mathematics (Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, 2006; Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2008).