Teaching Energy Science as Inquiry: Reflections on Professional Development as a Tool to Build Inquiry Teaching Skills for Middle and High School Teachers

Abstract

A hybrid (face-to-face and online) professional development (PD) course focused on energy science for middle and high school teachers (N = 47) was conducted using the teaching science as inquiry (TSI) framework. Data from the PD indicates that online opportunities enhanced participation and that the TSI structure improved teachers' inquiry implementation. Teachers found the TSI modes of inquiry easily accessible and effectively implemented them (modes correspond to the inquiry mechanisms of investigation, such as product evaluation, authoritative, inductive, deductive, and descriptive). On the other hand, the TSI phase structure (i.e. learning cycle) was most helpful for teachers novice to inquiry teaching, suggesting that modification of the PD is needed to promote more in-depth use of the phases in the TSI framework. In terms of content, teacher interest in energy science was high, which resulted in implementation of energy science activities across a range of disciplines. However, teachers' confidence in teaching energy science through inquiry was low compared to similar TSI PD courses on other subjects (mean perceived pedagogical content knowledge = 8.96 ± 2.07 SD for energy compared to 15.45 ± 1.83, 16.44 ± 1.81 and 15.63 ± 1.69, for elementary astronomy, high school aquatic science, and college aquatic science, respectively). These data support current findings on the complexities of teaching and understanding energy science content and suggest the need for additional teacher PD opportunities in energy science in order to provide opportunities for teachers to increase both their content knowledge and their confidence in teaching energy science.

Subject Knowledge and Perceptions of Bioenergy among School Teachers in India: Results from a Survey

“…It further indicates that it would be practical to improve science teachers' subject knowledge of bioenergy so that they can teach it with high confidence to their students. This is also relevant as Seraphin et al [5] have suggested that when teachers have a strong scientific base in energy science, only then will they be able to identify and challenge students' misconceptions and help their learning process. The science teachers appeared to be positive towards receiving more information on bioenergy; therefore, it might be possible to encourage them to participate in content-based training courses where they become aware of bioenergy related topics, improve their subject knowledge, and enhance their capacity to teach such topics in schools.…”

“…In a broader sense, teachers can also play a key role to promote ESD in schools, as schools are the first level of formal education in our modern society. Chedid [4] also suggested that "teachers are the primary link for preparing students for the future energy related jobs" and Seraphin et al [5] emphasized that "teachers should have high levels of proficiency and confidence in their ability to teach energy science in schools". However, it has been found that insufficient teacher knowledge related to energy and environmental subjects is a limiting factor for the promotion of EE in schools [6].…”

“…Therefore, teachers' motivations to teach bioenergy as a topic in the science curriculum in schools could raise students' awareness of bioenergy at an early stage of their development. However, it is not only bioenergy education that is challenging to implement in schools; Seraphin et al [5] have reported that "there is relatively little implementation in the classroom of energy science curriculum that deals with energy generation or energy consumption despite teachers' high levels of interest in the subject".…”

Teaching aquatic science as inquiry through professional development: Teacher characteristics and student outcomes

“…The modes of inquiry addressed in TSI (modified from DuncanSeraphin, Philippoff, Parisky, Degnan, & Papini Warren, 2012) …”

Preservice Teacher Self-Efficacy for Enhancing Students’ Long-Term Interest in Science

“…In recent years however, it has been recognized that teachers may hold different levels of efficacy about different aspects of science teaching. For example, studies have focused on efficacy for chemistry teaching (Uzuntiryaki, 2008), teaching science by inquiry (Seraphin, Philippoff, Parisky, Degnan, & Warren, 2013), integrating Facebook into teaching (Blonder & Rap, 2017), teaching socioscientific issues (Kilinç et al, 2014), and integrating ICT into science (Annetta, Frazier, Folta, Holmes, Lamb, & Cheng, 2013).…”