Exploring pre-service primary teachers’ progression towards inquiry-based science learning

ABSTRACT

Background

An in-depth understanding of pre-service primary teachers’ progression towards teaching science through inquiry is critical for improving teacher education programmes and, ultimately, improving the quality of science teaching and learning in the classroom.     

法国教师的新使命与教师教育改革

在知识经济时代和学习化社会中,法国社会对教师的期望越来越高,教师的使命不仅是传授知识,还要承担许多社会应当共同完成的任务。法国在未来教师职业化的进程中,教师的继续教育将具有一定的强制性,培训也会更加个人化。但能否吸引足够的优秀青年加入到教师队伍,如何实现教师队伍的新老交替,将是未来若干年法国教师教育领域中的突出问题。     

基于辍学研究的电大课程教学反思——以“变化中的英语”课程为例

本文基于电大辍学归因研究中的学习负荷问题展开讨论。调查显示,学习负荷过高造成了许多电大学生在学习道路上的无功而返,而学习的高负荷是由课程难度与学生学术水平之间的落差所造成的。本研究旨在通过对电大课程教学过程的审视,探究其学术支持服务手段的有效性。本研究以2011年3-6月上海电大A分校2010春英语专业本科层次"变化中的英语"课程教学为个案,通过面授课堂观察、课程形成性考核记录、网上教学记录、课程期末考试成绩聚焦课程教学效果。研究结果显示,电大的课程教学支持服务手段仍停留于传统教学模式,而作为重要学习辅助手段的网上学习,其形式意义占据和弥漫于抽样所在班级师生的观念中,导致学习支持的可获得性受到制约;同时,由于任课教师在电大体制下被层层嵌于一个庞大的系统之中,教师的能动性在改善课程教学效果时会受到一定程度上的限制;第三,在多方原因的共同作用下,现行教学模式下学生的课业表现与预期课程教学目标之间存有潜在的些微差距,会在一定程度上影响任课教师对自身课程教学的判断和调整。改变这种状况,电大教学组织制度的变革和对教师支持服务力度的加强势在必行。     

法国教师教育大学化的传统与变革

法国是世界上教师教育机构建立最早的国家,教师教育具有悠久的历史和传统。20世纪60年代法国大学开始真正介入教师教育。1991年后,法国在各大学区创建大学教师培训学院,将之作为全国统一的大学水平的教师专业培养机构。法国教师教育大学化模式的基本特点在于：教师职前培养达成综合大学水准,教师职前教育与教师职后教育有机整合,从而努力实现教师专业化。面向21世纪,法国针对教师教育中存在的问题,采取各种措施不断改进大学化教师教育模式。     

Moderation of the effects of scientific inquiry activities on low SES students’ PISA 2015 science achievement by school teacher support and disciplinary climate in science classroom across gender

Scientific inquiry activities are considered as productive science instruction to improve students’ science learning and achievement. Supportive teacher-student relationships and positive disciplinary climate in the classroom are also two important factors that could facilitate student learning. This study investigates whether the association between the inquiry-based science activities and student science achievement varies by teacher support and disciplinary climate in science classrooms, particularly when taking into consideration of student gender difference and socioeconomic status (SES). This study performed regression analyses using Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Guangdong (B-S-J-G-China) students’ science performance and background survey data of 2015 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA). Results showed that disciplinary climate, rather than teacher support, could moderate the association between inquiry-based science activities and student science achievement for both genders. Implications for instruction and further research were discussed as well.     

从教师专业化视角看我国小学教师教育发展

本文从教师专业化视角审视和反思小学教师教育的发展历史以及当前小学教育专业建设中的一些问题,指出:在教师专业化发展历史上,小学教师教育从未改变过重视“师范性”这一特色;当前小学教育专业建设中没能发挥自身优势且面临一些困惑,是因为小学教师教育在改革和发展进程中完全被原有高等师范教育所同化;小学教师教育升、并入高等师范教育体系应该是顺应的过程,小学教育专业自身的加入应该成为促动教师教育体系结构化重组的重要因素。     

The constraints on school provision of post-primary physical education in Ireland: principals’ and teachers’ views and experiences

Dated and limited research relating to physical education in Ireland has reported that the subject is in crisis, unable to move forward until the fundamental resources of facilities, staffing and time for physical education are significantly improved. As part of a recent national physical education survey carried out in Ireland, data was collected from principals (n=417) and teachers (n=405) to inform discussion on the level of current infrastructure for physical education in post-primary schools. This paper investigates the areas of physical education facilities, time allocation and staffing, as a contribution to the debate on the way forward for physical education at post-primary level, illuminating both issues of policy and practice.     

理科教师信念研究综述

教师信念被视为影响教学实践的重要因素之一,有关教师信念的研究也一直是教师教育领域关注的热点。本文主要依据国际科学教育文献对理科教师信念的相关研究进行梳理。文章首先探讨了理科教师信念的界定,然后对有关理科教师信念的6个研究主题进行介绍与评述,并提出我国理科教师教育需要关注的四个问题,最后呼吁我国学者应更多地从事理科教师信念方面的研究。     

Effects of Inquiry-Based Teacher Practices on Science Excellence and Equity

Abstract

Within science education reforms, a pedagogical shift from a teacher-centered, textbook-based instructional paradigm to a student-centered, inquiry-based model is called for. Despite strong theoretical grounding, there is limited empirical evidence that these reforms will achieve national goals of academic excellence and equity. The author used hierarchical linear models to estimate the extent to which 5 inquiry-based teacher practices promote achievement of all students (excellence) and reduce gaps in achievement among students with different demographic profiles (equity). Findings suggest that teacher practices that improve overall academic excellence simultaneously are as likely to contribute to greater inequities among more and less advantaged students as they are to close persistent achievement gaps.     

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 teacher's 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 teacher's 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.     

科学课教师培养的问题与对策建议

科学课是第八次基础教育课程改革新增设一门广域综合课程。科学课教师的培养作为一种新的探索,存在着专业设置的无序性、目标定位的宽泛性、课程设计的杂乱性以及组织运行的低效性等问题。解决上述问题需要政府、学团和高校多方联合,通过法律规制、专家引领和管理创新等措施协同进行。     

Enhancing Inquiry, Understanding, and Achievement in an Astronomy Multimedia Learning Environment

As an example of design-based research, this study refined an assessment strategy for simultaneously enhancing inquiry-based learning and supporting achievement on conventional assessment measures. Astronomy Village ^® : Investigating the Universe? is a software program designed to engage secondary science students in authentic and inquiry-based learning over core topics in astronomy. The software was enhanced with a 20-hour curriculum and three levels of assessment to ensure successful inquiry experiences and high-stakes achievement. The first year implementation of Astronomy Village^® yielded significant gains on a curriculum-oriented exam but not a standards-oriented test, and provided useful design insights that were integrated into the second year implementations. Significant gains were obtained on the test during the second year as well. It is expected that many existing inquiry-oriented science curricula might be similarly enhanced, and is suggested that a large-scale effort to do so might have a lasting impact on science education.     

小学科学教师专业素养内涵及提升策略的探讨

小学科学教师专业素养的提升是一项复杂、长期、艰巨的系统工作,以教师专业化为改革取向,比照教师专业基准的要求,从明晰科学教师专业素养内涵的前提出发,倡导教师的内在改变与外在支持的有机结合的策略举措,探寻促进小学科学教师专业素养提升的可行性与有效性。     

Prospective primary teachers’ self-efficacy and emotions in science teaching

The self-efficacy of prospective primary teachers was studied, considering in particular the relationship of that construct with the emotions they expect to experience as future science teachers, differentiating between when they will be teaching the content of the ‘nature sciences’ (biology and geology) and that of the ‘hard sciences’ (physics and chemistry). The study instrument was a questionnaire completed by 188 prospective primary school teachers in their initial education at the University of Extremadura during the academic year 2009/2010. The results showed them to mostly have positive emotions towards nature sciences and negative towards the hard sciences. While their beliefs concerning their self-efficacy are significantly related to their emotions about their future teaching of the hard sciences, high self-efficacy was significantly correlated with more positive emotions and fewer negative emotions towards physics and chemistry.     

A Randomized Trial of Teacher Development in Elementary Science: First-Year Achievement Effects

Abstract

This article describes 1st-year experimental effects of a large-scale reform providing professional development to elementary school teachers to implement an extended, inquiry-oriented science curriculum. Known as “immersion teaching” because it “immerses” teachers and students in the full cycle of scientific inquiry, this approach developed through a partnership involving university-based science and mathematics content experts and educators and K-12 educators from the Los Angeles Unified School District. Multilevel analyses, which examined school-level effects of assignment to the professional development intervention, nested Grade 4 students and their science achievement outcomes within the 80 study schools. The analyses revealed a statistically significant negative 1st-year treatment effect of school-level assignment to the initiative on the key science achievement outcome. We also tested whether the treatment had differential effects for English language learners, schools with large proportions of English language learners, and students of new teachers. We found an interaction effect of the treatment by teacher experience level for the teachers who were the primary target of the intervention, with the treatment having positive effects for novice teachers (3 years of experience or less) but a larger, negative effect for veteran teachers. We explore analytically three sets of explanations for the unexpected negative main effect of treatment: potential statistical and design artifacts, possible misalignment between the assessments and content of the treatment, and practical issues related to implementation of the treatment.