Thomas R. Tretter

Experienced and Novice Teachers’ Concepts of Spatial Scale

Scale is one of the thematic threads that runs through nearly all of the sciences and is considered one of the major prevailing ideas of science. This study explored novice and experienced teachers’ concepts of spatial scale with a focus on linear sizes from very small (nanoscale) to very large (cosmic scale). Novice teachers included undergraduates in science teacher education and students enrolled in a Masters of Arts in Science Teaching Program. Experienced teachers included students enrolled in a Master of Science Program. Participants’ knowledge of conceptual categories of size, scale accuracy, and experiences learning scale were assessed. Results showed both experienced and novice teachers were most accurate in their knowledge of human scale (1 m or body length) and both groups were more accurate with large scale than small scale. Experienced teachers held more accurate concepts of small‐scale measurements such as the nanometre than novice teachers. There was evidence that being able to directly experience objects and distances influenced concepts of size and scale. The role of in‐school and out‐of‐school experiences in developing concepts of scale is discussed.

Developing science-specific, technical vocabulary of high school newcomer English learners

This paper reports on the curriculum development stage for a larger science–literacy intervention for secondary school newcomers enrolled in an urban US school. After providing background to the study, we review literature on effective vocabulary instruction and report on the Science Vocabulary Support program development, refinement, and preliminary effectiveness evaluation in a sample of 92 emergent bilinguals. Results indicated that pre-to-post gains in student vocabulary retention were statistically (p < .005) and practically (d = .59) significant. These results, corroborated by weekly quizzes and interview and observational data, highlight the merit of specifically targeting science-specific, technical vocabulary for instructional interventions.

Teachers’ Concepts of Spatial Scale: An international comparison

Metric scale is an important concept taught as part of science curricula across different countries. This study explored metric and relative (body-length) scale concepts of inservice (N = 92) and preservice (N = 134) teachers from Austria, and Taiwan, and their concepts were compared with those of teachers from the USA. Participants completed three assessments: the Scale Anchoring Objects (SAO), Scale of Objects Questionnaire (SOQ), and a subsample of participants were interviewed with the Learning Scale Interview. A Rasch analysis was conducted with the SAO and SOQ and results showed that the Rasch model held for these assessments, indicating that there is an underlying common dimension to understanding scale. Further analyses showed that accuracy of knowledge of scale measured by the SAO and SOQ was not related to professional experience. There were significant differences in teachers’ accuracy of scale concepts by nationality. This was true for both metric and body-length SAO assessments. Post hoc comparisons showed that the Austrian and Taiwanese participants were significantly more accurate than the US sample on the SAO and SOQ. The Austrian participants scored significantly higher than the US and the Taiwanese participants. The results of the interviews showed that the Taiwanese experienced teacher participants were more likely to report learning size and scale through in-school experiences than the Austrian or the US participants. US teachers reported learning size and scale most often through participating in hobbies and sports, Taiwanese teachers reported learning scale through sports and reading, and Austrian teachers most often noted that they learned about scale through travel.

Godzilla Versus Scaling Laws of Physics

The concept of how scale affects systems and organisms is central to many science disciplines and serves as a unifying theme identified by Project 2061 as important for all students.1 This science education reform document indicates that by the end of 12th grade, “Students should know that because different properties are not affected to the same degree by changes in scale, large changes in scale typically change the way that things work in physical, biological, or social systems.” The focus of this paper is to provide a detailed description of a way to actively involve students in discovering a scaling effect in an interesting context. The activity described is most appropriate to use with beginning physics students in high school or nonmajor college students.

Identification of the Most Critical Content Knowledge Base for Middle School Science Teachers

Much has been said about what science content students need to learn (e.g., Benchmarks for Science Literacy, National Science Education Standards). Less has been said about what science content teachers need to know to teach the content students are expected to learn. This study analyzed four standards documents and assessment frameworks to identify core middle school physical science teacher content knowledge. Analysis across all four documents identified critical middle school physical science content and the relative weightings of this content. This parsimonious selection of content synthesized from these major sources provides guidelines researchers, assessment developers, and professional development providers can use in determining how to expend limited time and other resources.

Valid and Reliable Science Content Assessments for Science Teachers

Science teachers’ content knowledge is an important influence on student learning, highlighting an ongoing need for programs, and assessments of those programs, designed to support teacher learning of science. Valid and reliable assessments of teacher science knowledge are needed for direct measurement of this crucial variable. This paper describes multiple sources of validity and reliability (Cronbach’s alpha greater than 0.8) evidence for physical, life, and earth/space science assessments—part of the Diagnostic Teacher Assessments of Mathematics and Science (DTAMS) project. Validity was strengthened by systematic synthesis of relevant documents, extensive use of external reviewers, and field tests with 900 teachers during assessment development process. Subsequent results from 4,400 teachers, analyzed with Rasch IRT modeling techniques, offer construct and concurrent validity evidence.

Gifted Students Speak: Mathematics Problem-Solving Insights.

I n the summer of 2001, I taught at the Governor’s School of North Carolina, a 6week residential program for academically or intellectually gifted rising high school seniors in North Carolina. Student eligibility for this program included multiple criteria: aptitude test scores in the 92nd–99th percentile; achievement test scores in the 92nd–99th percentile; scholastic performance records such as transcripts and class rank; and personal data such as school and community awards, honors, and activities (for more information, see http://www.ncpublicschools.org/gs). The intent of the academic program at the Governor’s School was to challenge and stimulate these gifted students by emphasizing theory over memorization of fact, particularly contemporary and progressive theories that stimulate innovative thought in a rapidly changing culture. To meet this goal for the Governor’s School program, the curriculum had to be appropriate. Gallagher and Gallagher (1994) suggested four ways that a curriculum could be modified for gifted students: acceleration, enrichment, sophistication, and novelty. Coleman (2001) asserted that sophistication is what gifted students thrive on; but, of the four aforementioned modifications, it is the one that most often eludes teachers who attempt to modify curricula for gifted students. Because the unique environment of Governor’s School allowed the classroom teacher unusual flexibility in devising the curriculum, I concentrated on sophistication as I developed the curriculum for a 3-week session on mathematics problem solving. G i f t e d St uden t s S p eak : Mathematics Problem-

Teachers Connecting Urban Students to their Environment

This chapter provides an overview of a graduate course, Science Beyond the Classroom, which provides K-12 teachers experiences designed to increase urban, low-SES middle school students engagement in learning environmental science concepts. Teachers participate as leaders of a 10-day Hands-on, Minds-on Summer Science Camp in organizing teaching and learning experiences for urban youth that primarily focus on site visits to community-based venues. These site visits (e.g., water treatment facility, sewage treatment facility, power plant, forest and arboretum, cave system, and zoo) showcase environmental science issues addressed on a daily basis. From analysis of course goals, the K-12 teachers gain an enduring awareness of the impact that they can have on the environment. Teachers use their newly acquired knowledge in discussing some of the concepts from these community sites in their classrooms with their students. The data support that the teachers move along the environmental education continuum from “awareness and sensitivity to the total environment” to “knowledge gained via experiences” (i.e. supporting learning of camp participants before and after through community tours).