Learning More About Learning Improves Teacher Effectiveness

The present study examines the possibility that teacher knowledge about learning may have an impact on the effectiveness of a school. Thirty-two secondary qualified teachers engaged in a professional development program that provided a framework for reflective study of the learning process, analysis of key aspects of learning in their classes, and identification of the implications for teaching. Changes in teacher effectiveness were monitored in several ways: (1) changes in the display of effective teacher behaviours consistent with a social-constructivist model of learning, (2) changes in perceived ability to facilitate learning in classes, and (3) changes in student performance. The findings support the prediction that involvement in a systematic exploration of the learning process, with teachers explicating their knowledge of learning, has an direct impact, on the display of effective teaching behaviours and on teachers' personal explicit theory of learning.     

Collaborative Action Research on Technology Integration for Science Learning

This paper briefly reports the outcomes of an action research inquiry on the use of blogs, MS PowerPoint [PPT], and the Internet as learning tools with a science class of sixth graders for project-based learning. Multiple sources of data were essential to triangulate the key findings articulated in this paper. Corresponding to previous studies, the incorporation of technology and project-based learning could motivate students in self-directed exploration. The students were excited about the autonomy over what to learn and the use of PPT to express what they learned. Differing from previous studies, the findings pointed to the lack information literacy among students. The students lacked information evaluation skills, note-taking and information synthesis. All these findings imply the importance of teaching students about information literacy and visual literacy when introducing information technology into the classroom. The authors suggest that further research should focus on how to break the culture of “copy-and-paste” by teaching the skills of note-taking and synthesis through inquiry projects for science learning. Also, further research on teacher professional development should focus on using collaboration action research as a framework for re-designing graduate courses for science teachers in order to enhance classroom technology integration.     

Improving Science and Literacy Learning for English Language Learners: Evidence from a Pre-service Teacher Preparation Intervention

This paper present findings from a pre-service teacher development project that prepared novice teachers to promote English language and literacy development with inquiry-based science through a modified elementary science methods course and professional development for cooperating teachers. To study the project’s impact on student learning, we administered a pre and post assessment to students (N = 191) of nine first year elementary teachers (grades 3 through 6) who experienced the intervention and who taught a common science unit. Preliminary results indicate that (1) student learning improved across all categories (science concepts, writing, and vocabulary)—although the effect varied by category, and (2) English Language Learner (ELL) learning gains were on par with non-ELLs, with differences across proficiency levels for vocabulary gain scores. These results warrant further analyses to understand the extent to which the intervention improved teacher practice and student learning. This study confirms the findings of previous research that the integration of science language and literacy practices can improve ELL achievement in science concepts, writing and vocabulary. In addition, the study indicates that it is possible to begin to link the practices taught in pre-service teacher preparation to novice teacher practice and student learning outcomes.     

Using a New Learning Environment Questionnaire for Reflection in Teacher Action Research

This article reports the development, validation and use of an instrument designed to provide teachers with feedback information, based on students’ perceptions, about their classroom environments. The instrument was developed to provide teachers with feedback that they could use to reflect on their teaching practices and, in turn, guide the implementation of strategies to improve their learning environments. To determine the validity and reliability of the new instrument, data from 2043 grade 11 and 12 students from 147 classes in 9 schools were analysed. The Rasch model was used to convert data collected using a frequency response scale into interval data that are suitable for parametric analyses. During an action research process, reflective journals, written feedback, discussions at a forum and interviews with eight teachers helped to illuminate the processes used by teachers during action research. This article reports the views of these teachers in general and examines more closely how one of the teachers used student responses to the learning environment questionnaire as a tool for reflection and as a guide in transforming her classroom environment. This case study helped us to gauge the extent to which action research based on students’ perceptions of the learning environment was useful in guiding teachers’ improvements of their classroom learning environments.     

行动学习及其在教师培训中的应用

行动学习作为一种新的培训理念和方法,正受到追捧。以团队合作为基础,以解决工作实际中的问题为目标,通过其循环式的学习方式开展学习,从而达到培训的预期目的。行动学习对教师培训具有重要的实践意义。掌握运用行动学习的时机、选择有针对性的问题、有效组织学习活动、合理的反思、培训教师理念和角色的转变、实现培训学员教师观念的转变是取得行动学习成功的关键。     

试论行动研究对外语教师职业发展的意义

行动研究对外语教师的自我职业发展具有重要的指导作用,为教师在外语教学理论与实践方面的探索提供了切实可行的方法,外语教师应将这两者有机地结合起来,带着研究者、批判者的眼光去对待教学活动.通过对自身教学行为的反思,外语教师可以改变教学观念,提高教学教育质量.     

论教师的专业学习力

教师专业成长力是在不同发展阶段引发教师成长提速的根本原因,其首要类型是专业学习力。教师专业学习力是指那些在教师专业自我与教育环境交互作用中驱动、促进、促进教师专业快速成长的力系。教师学习力由学习原动力与学习操作力两部分组成:前者指教师专业学习的内驱力,后者包括教师的理论吸收力、经验借鉴力、情境理解力和问题研究力等。每一种教师学习力都包含着一些具体学习力类型。     

Learning to Teach About Ideas and Evidence in Science: The Student Teacher as Change Agent

A collaborative curriculum development project was set up to address the lack of good examples of teaching about ideas and evidence and the nature of science encountered by student teachers training to teach in the age range 11–16 in schools in England. Student and teacher-mentor pairs devised, taught and evaluated novel lessons and approaches. The project design required increasing levels of critique through cycles of teaching, evaluation and revision of lessons. Data were gathered from interviews and students’ reports to assess the impact of the project on student teachers and to what extent any influences survived when they gained their first teaching posts. A significant outcome was the perception of teaching shifting from the delivery of standard lessons in prescribed ways to endeavours demanding creativity and decision-making. Although school-based factors limited newly qualified teachers’ chances to use new lessons and approaches and therefore act as change-agents in schools, the ability to critique curriculum materials and the recognition of the need to create space for professional dialogue were durable gains.     

Research Experience as a Component of Science and Mathematics Teacher Preparation

Journal of Science Teacher Education -     

Teacher Research,Action Research: the Logo Action Research Collaborative

Action research is a form of professional inquiry in which the teacher's role is seen as key to educational improvement. This paper describes methodologies developed by the Logo Action Research Collaborative – a national network linking 100 teachers at nine sites – that facilitate and support collaborative inquiry by teachers into their own teaching practices, in order to understand, improve, develop, and incorporate new forms of student assessment, teaching methods, and curriculum. The project focused on the Logo computer language, a powerful learning environment for problem‐solving and mathematical inquiry. The authors provide background information on action research as an evolving discipline. They identify three phases of a year‐long action research cycle, and describe key strategies developed by the project to support teachers in taking on a research frame of mind, identifying areas of concern, and undertaking and completing action research projects. The paper includes several illustrative examples of action research investigations undertaken by teachers, and demonstrates the benefits to the students and teachers involved. It closes by making a case for the potential contribution of action research to current educational reform initiatives and school restructuring.     

Action Learning: A Model for In-Service Teacher Education

Technology has changed the way the world functions on a day-to-day basis, but what about education? Education has been directly affected by the increase of technology in the United States. This change has not been well accepted by some members of the educational community, thus leaving the realm of education behind in the technology era. This article seeks to focus on the benefits of technology in the classroom as well as some of the issues that surround teachers and technology. The article also delves into the future of technology and education and provides some helpful tips for technology use in the classroom.     

美国《科学教师培养标准》述评

教师专业发展标准的制定是教师专业地位确立的主要标志,是教师专业化进入正规的起点,同时也是教师专业队伍素质整体提升的保证。本文从教师专业发展与专业标准之间的关系入手,客观分析美国《科学教师培养标准》对美国科学教师专业发展的促进作用,同时为我国科学教师,乃至整个教师队伍专业地位的提升和社会认可以及教师包括科学教师专业标准的制定提供建设性意见。     

Science Teacher Attitudes Toward Inquiry-Based Teaching and Learning

The purpose of this study was to determine teachers’ attitudes, values, and beliefs about inquiry. The participants of this study were 275 middle grade and secondary science teachers from four districts in North Carolina. Issues such as class size, accountability, curricular demands, and administrative support are perceived as constraints, impeding the use of inquiry. These are the issues that must be effectively dealt with in the professional education and professional development of all science teachers.     

Improving Learning and Teaching Through Action Learning and Action Research

The purpose of this paper is to present a theoretical framework for action learning and action research for better understanding and improving university learning and teaching. Action research is conceived as a philosophy, a theory of learning, a methodology and a technique. The philosophy includes theories of action, critical theory and personal construct theory. The learning theory encompasses adult learning, experiential learning and double‐loop learning. The methodology is based in the dialectical epistemology and the non‐positivist paradigm. Examples of action research as a technique are the nominal group technique, the repertory grid technique and other tools aiding reflection and group discussion. It is concluded that action research not only advances knowledge, but also improves practice in higher education by. developing people as professionals and “personal scientists”, and organisations as “learning organisations”.     

Teaching With and About Nature of Science, and Science Teacher Knowledge Domains

The ubiquitous goals of helping precollege students develop informed conceptions of nature of science (NOS) and experience inquiry learning environments that progressively approximate authentic scientific practice have been long-standing and central aims of science education reforms around the globe. However, the realization of these goals continues to elude the science education community partly because of a persistent, albeit not empirically supported, coupling of the two goals in the form of ‘teaching about NOS with inquiry’. In this context, the present paper aims, first, to introduce the notions of, and articulate the distinction between, teaching with and about NOS, which will allow for the meaningful coupling of the two desired goals. Second, the paper aims to explicate science teachers’ knowledge domains requisite for effective teaching with and about NOS. The paper argues that research and development efforts dedicated to helping science teachers develop deep, robust, and integrated NOS understandings would have the dual benefits of not only enabling teachers to convey to students images of science and scientific practice that are commensurate with historical, philosophical, sociological, and psychological scholarship (teaching about NOS), but also to structure robust inquiry learning environments that approximate authentic scientific practice, and implement effective pedagogical approaches that share a lot of the characteristics of best science teaching practices (teaching with NOS).     

教师教育课程学习方式变革的"行动学习研究"

近年来,大学的教师教育正在遭遇"教学学术漂移"表层学习盛行"核心素养缺失"的困境,直接影响着职前教师的学习质量."行动学习研究"作为一种整体主义的专业教育形态,把"全人发展"与教学研究相结合,用"项目实践"整合专业学习,注重个体与团队的"互惠创新",有利于变革职前教师的学习方式,培育"终身发展智慧".研究的设计与实施结果表明,学习方式的变革让职前教师开始在知识学习上谋求成果创新,在问题解决上追求独立自主,在沟通交流上开辟多元通道,在信息技术运用上寻求审美与创造,教师教育者也由"独白者"转变为"六面人".