James J. Watters

Developing motivation to teach elementary science: Effect of collaborative and authentic learning practices in preservice education

The rapid growth in knowledge over recent times has meant that teachers have to be responsive to new and ever changing demands of society. Science is among those key areas of knowledge that has experienced overwhelming growth and thus developing scientific literacy is a priority if citizens are to participate effectively in society. Failure to develop children’s interest in science will disempower a generation of children in an era when scientific knowledge is at the foundation of our culture. Unfortunately, many elementary teachers express a lack of confidence in their ability to teach science with dire consequences for the quality of teaching. This paper reports a study involving a cohort of 161 elementary preservice teachers in the third year of a four-year Bachelor of Education program enrolled in a core science education (methods) course. An instructional program that addressed five essential dimensions of meaningful learning – the knowledge base, metacognition, motivation, individual differences and context – was implemented. Quantitative and qualitative data obtained through surveys, observations and focus session reviews revealed that a learning environment based on social constructivist perspectives was effective in developing students’ conceptual and pedagogical knowledge, and most importantly enhanced students’ sense of science teaching self-efficacy. Particular initiatives that were identified by students as being of value were collaborative learning and associated strategies, reflective journal writing, and assignment tasks that adopted principles of problem based learning. While statistically significant gains in science teaching self-efficacy (p < .001) were observed overall, qualitative data enabled a more detailed analysis of the changes in motivations and goals of individual student teachers. The paper explores how the experiences developed their confidence and will to teach science in elementary school and how opportunities were provided that empowered the student teachers to be proactive seekers of knowledge and become lifelong learners.

Supports and Concerns for Teacher Professional Growth during the Implementation of a Science Curriculum Innovation.

Internationally, considerable reform in science education is occurring which promotes constructivist philosophies and advocates constructivist-inspired pedagogical strategies that are new to many teachers. This paper reports on the supporting factors necessary for teacher professional growth and the issues of concern that were evident during one primary teachers successful implementation of a unit of work based on a draft of a new state-wide science syllabus which proposes such approaches. One researcher (CEP) provided guidance during the writing and implementation of the unit through professional development workshops complemented by ongoing collegial support. The analysis of the teachers practice reveals that professional growth required a willingness of the teacher to engage with change and modify his professional practice. The support factors for teacher growth consisted of an appropriate program of professional development, teacher understanding of the elements of the curriculum innovation, and successful experiences in implementing new approaches. In contrast, the issues of concern were: the adequacy of support for planning including the time required to understand the innovation and make changes to teaching practice; science equipment; teacher knowledge; classroom management strategies; and ways to cope with change. Understanding of these support factors and issues of concern is vital for the successful implementation of science curriculum innovations.

Mathematical modelling in the early school years

In this article we explore young children’s development of mathematical knowledge and reasoning processes as they worked two modelling problems (the Butter Beans Problem and the Airplane Problem). The problems involve authentic situations that need to be interpreted and described in mathematical ways. Both problems include tables of data, together with background information containing specific criteria to be considered in the solution process. Four classes of 3rd-graders (8 years of age) and their teachers participated in the 6-month program, which included preparatory modelling activities along with professional development for the teachers. In discussing our findings we address: (a) Ways in which the children applied their informal, personal knowledge to the problems; (b) How the children interpreted the tables of data, including difficulties they experienced; (c) How the children operated on the data, including aggregating and comparing data, and looking for trends and patterns; (d) How the children developed important mathematical ideas; (e) Ways in which the children represented their mathematical understandings.

Beginning teachers becoming professionals through action research

Abstract This article describes the conduct of and acquired understandings from a study designed to promote the professional growth of a group of beginning primary school teachers through participatory action research. The beginning teachers collaborated with university academic staff during the design and conduct of the study. A key component of the study was the formation of action research cells of participating teachers with each group focusing on particular aspects of teaching, for example, assessment, catering for gifted and talented students, and inclusivity in the classroom teaching programme. The overall findings from the study, from the view of the university researchers, are presented and reflected upon in this article. The implications of using action research for the professional growth of beginning teachers are also discussed.

Science Teaching Self-Efficacy in a Primary School: A Case Study.

Banduras theory of self-efficacy predicts that teachers with high, self-efficacy should persist longer, provide a greater academic focus in child-centred classrooms and exhibit different types of feedback than teachers who have lower self-efficacy. This paper reports on the science teaching self-efficacy in a group of teachers at a state primary school. The research was conducted in two stages using firstly the Science Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument (STEBI-A) to identify cases, and secondly, a semistructured interview coupled with classroom observations. Thirty seven teaching staff were surveyed with the STEBI-A instrument. The five highest and five lowest scoring teachers on the personal science teaching self-efficacy subscale of the STEBI-A were interviewed. The analysis of interviews and observations indicated that teachers with high personal science teaching self-efficacy have had a long interest in science and a relatively strong background of formal science studies with opportunities for exploring out of school activities. Although they may have experienced negative science experiences in their own schooling other ameliorating factors existed which maintained their interest. Their instructional strategies in science lessons were more child-centred than those reported by teachers with lower personal science teaching self-efficacy. The implications of the results for the inservice training of teachers are discussed.

Approaches to Learning by Students in the Biological Sciences: Implications for Teaching.

This study is an investigation of the epistemological beliefs and study habits of students undertaking first‐year courses in Biological Chemistry and Biochemistry. In particular, we were interested in the relationship between students’ epistemological beliefs about learning and knowledge, approaches to learning, and achievement. The study adopted a mixed‐methods approach in which quantitative and qualitative data have provided complementary insights into the beliefs and approaches adopted by these students. Our findings indicate that most students tend to adopt beliefs that knowledge and learning involves the accumulation of information and the capacity to reproduce on demand in examinations. Approaches to learning reflect these beliefs and are dominated by rote learning and preference for assessment by examination. Few students adopt strategies that emphasise the relationship of concepts to those already learnt or to applications relevant to biological science. Implications of this study for reform of university teaching practices as well as secondary practices are discussed.

Beginning Elementary School Teachers and the Effective Teaching of Science.

Many factors influence the teaching of science by beginning teachers in elementary schools. They have to confront a myriad of daunting experiences and tasks in their first few weeks at school, and on top of that are expected to teach a comprehensive curriculum including science with its attendant demands for a constructivist approach to teaching and learning, cooperative group work, and reliance on resources. This paper describes the experiences of four beginning teachers as they worked their way through the first year of teaching, with an emphasis on analyzing the influence of these experiences on their planning and implementation of science lessons in the classroom. A theoretical framework of self-efficacy, and related attitudes and motivation to teach science, is used for the analysis. Implications for the design of science education courses within preservice programs, and the development of induction programs for beginning elementary teachers, to ensure teachers’ long term commitment to the effective teaching of science, are discussed in the paper.

The Collaboration of Mathematically Gifted Students on Challenging Tasks

This study explored the collaboration of mathematically gifted children aged 11–12 years in solving complex, novel problems by examining the students preferences for collaboration in relation to the difficulty of the task being undertaken. Using a qualitative methodology, we show that there is a relationship between the complexity of the task and the extent and type of collaborative interactions in which students engaged. Collaboration was preferred only when the task was sufficiently challenging. However, in the context where collaboration was encouraged and students took advantage of working with peers, there was the development of mutual scaffolding, shared cognition, critical thinking, and the ability to discern and monitor goal states for the problems. The implications of this study for the education of mathematically gifted students are discussed.

Identifying and Supporting Spatial Intelligence in Young Children

Intelligence is a concept related to behaviours that are valued in a social and cultural context. Since the establishment of formalised education for Westernised industrial society, education has focused on the development of literacy and numeracy skills and has acknowledged those areas as important in formal education. Intelligence, hence, has been valued in those who are highly literate and numerate. However, a careful analysis of highly creative people in the area of mathematics and science, and recognition of the impact of technology in an Information Age suggests that other behaviours broadly identified as spatial intelligence are significant areas of human capability. Spatial intelligence has been highlighted in recent years though the work of Howard Gardner. However, interpretations of this work have tended to emphasise the role of spatial intelligence in artistic domains and ignored the seminal contribution that spatial intelligence plays in mathematical and scientific domains. The article explores spatial intelligence in the sciences from a variety of perspectives, including a neuropsychological perspective, and uses Gardners developmental trajectory of intelligence to explore how to facilitate the development of spatial intelligence. We challenge practitioners to examine their practices in educational settings and reflect on the extent to which they provide opportunities for children to demonstrate and develop their spatial intelligence.

Elementary Teacher's Conceptions of Inquiry Teaching: Messages for Teacher Development

This study explored practicing elementary school teacher’s conceptions of teaching in ways that foster inquiry-based learning in the science curriculum (inquiry teaching). The advocacy for inquiry-based learning in contemporary curricula assumes the principle that students learn in their own way by drawing on direct experience fostered by the teacher. That students should be able to discover answers themselves through active engagement with new experiences was central to the thinking of eminent educators such as Pestalozzi, Dewey and Montessori. However, even after many years of research and practice, inquiry learning as a referent for teaching still struggles to find expression in the average teachers’ pedagogy. This study drew on interview data from 20 elementary teachers. A phenomenographic analysis revealed three conceptions of teaching for inquiry learning in science in the elementary years of schooling: (a) The Experience-centered conception where teachers focused on providing interesting sensory experiences to students; (b) The Problem-centered conception where teachers focused on engaging students with challenging problems; and (c) The Question-centered conception where teachers focused on helping students to ask and answer their own questions. Understanding teachers’ conceptions has implications for both the enactment of inquiry teaching in the classroom as well as the uptake of new teaching behaviors during professional development, with enhanced outcomes for engaging students in Science.