Transferring theory into practice: A model for professional development for science education reform

Abstract

Instituting reform in science education requires teachers who are knowledgeable in science content, process, and inquiry pedagogy. Most elementary and middle-grades teachers are not teaching reform-based science and need training to be able to do so. Project LIFE, a state systemic initiatives professional development program for middle-grades life science teachers, has been successful in improving the science content knowledge, process skills, and attitudes toward teaching science of 90 teachers during the first 3 years of the project. Data collected through classroom observations, surveys, and tests given to students of project teachers and students of matched nonproject teachers revealed a significant positive impact of the project in classrooms. The essential characteristics of the project are described as a guide for individuals planning or delivering reform-based science education professional development.

What preconceptions and attitudes about engineering are prevalent amongst upper secondary school pupils? An international study

“…These items had dissolved in the 'interest' and 'difficulty' factors and were not distinguishable as a separate dimension. A possible explanation for this, to be explored in further research, is that pupils in upper secondary education are beyond gender-related choices such as their curriculum profile (natural sciences or social sciences) and also they have moved significantly in their development towards adolescence and thus have overcome gender-related personality issues (Radford 1998); In other words: pupils at this school and age level appear to not want to be bothered by gender considerations anymore when thinking about technology or engineering.…”

Teacher training processes and teachers’ competence—a sociological study in the primary school

“…However, many studies, namely those related to the first years of schooling, show that many teachers do not value science teaching and learning and its experimental character, that teachers are not scientifically or pedagogically well prepared and that they do not emphasise high level competences needed, for example, to problem solving or to the application of scientific knowledge to everyday situations (Sá & Carvalho, 1997;Harlen & Jelly, 1993;Harlen & Holroyd, 1997;Tilgner, 1990;Radford, 1998;Hodson, 1998;Briscoe, Peters & O'Brien, 1993;Lewis & Barufaldi, 1993). According to Briscoe, Peters and O'Brien (1993), and many others, science learning should start in the first years of schooling.…”

“…The professional development of science teachers requires the learning of fundamental scientific contents, the integration of knowledges from science, education and child studies and requires also the application of these knowledges to science teaching (Radford, 1998;Briscoe, Peters & O'Brien, 1993; National Academy of Sciences, 1996). Professional development should occur through inquiry methods and perspectives, that is teachers should first experiment the methods and activities that they are expected to use in their classrooms, in an environment of support and reflection of their experiences.…”

An Exploratory Analysis of Constructivist Teaching Practices and Science Teaching Interactions in Earth Science Classes

“…Teachers are most likely to internalize desirable teaching methods when both their hands and minds are engaged in such active learning situations (Radford, 1998). This indicates that teachers were dominant and central in the classrooms and that students did not take responsibility for their own learning.…”