Critical Friendship, Collaboration and Trust as a Basis for Self-Determined Professional Development: A case of science teaching

Periódico: International Journal of Science Education

Publicação: Volume 35, Number 1, 1 January 2013 , pp. 65-85(21)

Título do artigo: Critical Friendship, Collaboration and Trust as a Basis for Self-Determined Professional Development: A case of science teaching

Autores: Ramnarain, Umesh Dewnarain¹; Modiba, Maropeng²

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Abstract:

This paper describes the development of curriculum design expertise from the perspective of a teacher reflecting on a science lesson. His involvement in the research process resulted in a self-determined professional development strategy. The description comes from data collected through lesson observations and an in-depth stimulated recall discussion to probe and uncover the teacher's understanding of the importance of the curriculum design principles related to his lesson. These data are supplemented with lessons plans studied over several months. Views expressed indicate that the professional development of the teacher was grounded in trust and trust-building that took time. The views also, suggest, amongst other issues, how empowerment evaluation can be used in enabling development in curriculum design.

Keywords: Empowerment evaluation; Professional development; Science curriculum reform; Scientific literacy; Stimulated recall discussion

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2012.742593

Learning Science through Creating a ‘Slowmation’: A case study of preservice primary teachers

Periódico: International Journal of Science Education

Publicação: Volume 35, Number 1, 1 January 2013 , pp. 119-146(28)

Título do artigo: Learning Science through Creating a ‘Slowmation’: A case study of preservice primary teachers

Autores: Hoban, Garry; Nielsen, Wendy

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Abstract:

Many preservice primary teachers have inadequate science knowledge, which often limits their confidence in implementing the subject. This paper proposes a new way for preservice teachers to learn science by designing and making a narrated stop-motion animation as an instructional resource to explain a science concept. In this paper, a simplified way for preservice teachers to design and make an animation called ‘slowmation’ (abbreviated from ‘slow animation’) is exemplified. A case study of three preservice primary teachers creating one from start to finish over 2 h was conducted to address the following research question: How do the preservice primary teachers create a slowmation and how does this process influence their science learning? The method of inquiry used a case study design involving pre- and post-individual interviews in conjunction with a discourse analysis of video and audio data recorded as they created a slowmation. The data illustrate how the preservice teachers’ science learning was related to their prior knowledge and how they iteratively revisited the content through the construction of five representations as a cumulative semiotic progression: (i) research notes; (ii) storyboard; (iii) models; (iv) digital photographs; culminating in (v) the narrated animation. This progression enabled the preservice teachers to revisit the content in each representation and make decisions about which modes to use and promoted social interaction. Creating a slowmation facilitated the preservice teachers’ learning about the life cycle of a ladybird beetle and revised their alternative conceptions.

Keywords: Animation; Conceptual change; Multimodal representation; Semiotics; Slowmation; Technology

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2012.670286

Instructional Experiences of Graduate Assistants Implementing Explicit and Reflective Introductory Biology Laboratories

Periódico: International Journal of Science Education
Publicação: Volume 36, Number 7, 3 May 2014 , pp. 1184-1209(26)

Título do artigo: Instructional Experiences of Graduate Assistants Implementing Explicit and Reflective Introductory Biology Laboratories

Autores: Bautista, Nazan Uludag¹; Schussler, Elisabeth E.²; Rybczynski, Stephen M.³

Abstract:

Science education reform documents identify nature of science (NOS) as a critical component of scientific literacy and call for universities, colleges, and K-12 schools to explicitly integrate NOS learning into science curricula. In response to these calls, this study investigated the classroom practices of nine graduate assistants (GAs) who taught expository and inquiry laboratories that implemented an explicit and reflective (ER) pedagogy to teach NOS. The purpose of this qualitative study was to better understand the experiences that enabled or inhibited GA implementation of an ER strategy in a college setting. The findings revealed that achieving quality implementation in this setting was very difficult. Factors such as GAs' ability to foster meaningful classroom discussions, laboratory logistics (e.g. lack of time and supplies), and the value undergraduates and GAs saw in learning about NOS were identified by GAs and observed by the researchers as barriers to the technique maximizing its potential. Thus, for meaningful infusion of NOS into science curricula, pedagogical support for GAs to manage meaningful classroom discussions in support of NOS or other complex topics is recommended for an ER approach to NOS learning to be successful in college settings.

Keywords: Explicit and reflective; Graduate assistant; Laboratory work; Nature of science; Professional development

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2013.853146

Representing Nature of Science in a Science Textbook: Exploring author–editor–publisher interactions

Periódico: International Journal of Science Education, 
Publicação: Volume 36, Number 7, 3 May 2014 , pp. 1061-1082(22)

Título do artigo: Representing Nature of Science in a Science Textbook: Exploring author–editor–publisher interactions

Autores: DiGiuseppe, Maurice

Abstract:

Current reforms in elementary and secondary science education call for students and teachers to develop more informed views of the nature of science (NOS)—a process in which science textbooks play a significant role. This paper reports on a case study of the development of representations of the NOS in a senior high school chemistry textbook by the book's author, editor, and publisher. The study examines the multiple discourses that arose as the developers reflected on their personal and shared understandings of NOS; squared these with mandated curricula, the educational needs of chemistry students and teachers, and the exigencies of large-scale commercial textbook publishing. As a result, the team developed and incorporated, in the textbook, representations of NOS they believed were the most pedagogically suitable. Analysis of the data in this study indicates that a number of factors significantly influenced the development of representations of NOS, including representational accuracy (the degree to which representations of NOS conformed to informed views of the NOS), representational consistency (the degree to which representations of NOS in different parts of the book conveyed the same meaning), representational appropriateness (the age-, grade-, and reading-level appropriateness of the NOS representations), representational alignment (the degree to which NOS representations aligned with mandated curriculum), representational marketability (the degree to which NOS representations would affect sales of the textbook), and ‘Workplace Resources’ factors including availability of time, relevant expertise, and opportunities for professional development.

Keywords: Chemistry education; Nature of science; Textbook analysis

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2013.840405