Transforming Elementary Science Teacher Education by Bridging Formal and Informal Science Education in an Innovative Science Methods Course

We investigated curricular and pedagogical innovations in an undergraduate science methods course for elementary education majors at the University of Maryland. The goals of the innovative elementary science methods course included: improving students’ attitudes toward and views of science and science teaching, to model innovative science teaching methods and to encourage students to continue in teacher education. We redesigned the elementary science methods course to include aspects of informal science education. The informal science education course features included informal science educator guest speakers, a live animal demonstration and a virtual field trip. We compared data from a treatment course (n = 72) and a comparison course (n = 26). Data collection included: researchers’ observations, instructors’ reflections, and teacher candidates’ feedback. Teacher candidate feedback involved interviews and results on a reliable and valid Attitudes and Beliefs about the Nature of and the Teaching of Science instrument. We used complementary methods to analyze the data collected. A key finding of the study was that while benefits were found in both types of courses, the difference in results underscores the need of identifying the primary purpose for innovation as a vital component of consideration.     

Teacher Education in Ireland at Primary Level

Since 1974 the professional preparation of primary school teachers in Ireland has been catered for in the context of a three‐year university degree. The present paper tries to show how one college attempted to cater for the difficult and dangerous transition involved in making this provision against a background of having spent the previous 75 years preparing teachers in a non‐university context.

While the general subject herein examined is undoubtedly multi‐faceted, the main emphasis in the paper will be upon the particular steps taken to ensure the retention of as reasonable an emphasis as possible on the acquisition of practical teaching skills, while at the same time making adequate provision for the higher level of academic work which involvement with the university necessarily presupposes.

Very particularly the college was conscious of the danger which had attended the attempts of many institutions in other countries in seeking to effect the transition in question: namely, that the traditional preoccupation of universities with theoretical studies could easily lead to a serious diminution of emphasis on skill acquisition which, in the past, constituted one of the main strengths of the training college tradition.

The purpose of this paper is not by any means to give the impression that the college in question has found the ideal answer to this major problem. It would, however, on the basis of its experience, confidently submit, that the approach it has taken clearly possesses distinct advantages which are well worthy of serious consideration by any institution contemplating a similar transition.     

Sources of Self-efficacy in a Science Methods Course for Primary Teacher Education Students

Self-efficacy has been shown to be an issue of concern for primary teacher education students – many of them have low self-efficacy and this can negatively affect their future teaching of science. Previous research has identified four factors that may contribute towards self-efficacy: enactive mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, verbal persuasion and physiological/affective states. It could also be argued that there are additional sources of self-efficacy that apply to primary teacher education students, namely cognitive content mastery, cognitive pedagogical mastery and simulated modelling. The main purpose of the present paper was to investigate the relative importance of the various sources of self-efficacy in a primary science methods course. Data on changes in self-efficacy and sources of self-efficacy were collected throughout the course using formal and informal surveys. It was found that the main source of self-efficacy was cognitive pedagogical mastery.     

Informal Science Education: A Practicum for Graduate Students

We present results from a course, “Informal Science Education for Scientists: A Practicum,” co-taught to graduate students in STEM-related fields by a scientist/engineer and a social scientist/humanist. This course provides a structured framework and experiential learning about informal science education during a semester-long experience. The data collected across six years of the course (11 ≤ n ≤ 16 for each) provide strong evidence that the course has been effective in encouraging graduate students in STEM-related fields to feel more skilled at and confident with informal science education. Details are provided as to how manipulation of the course structure (i.e. making it project-based, emphasizing understanding audiences, stressing the iterative nature of design, and increasing evaluation research training) influenced the student outcomes.     

Teaching Science Effectively With Analogies: An Approach for Preservice and Inservice Teacher Education

Journal of Science Teacher Education -     

An Examination of Change in Teacher Self-Efficacy Beliefs in Science Education Based on the Duration of Inservice Activities

Journal of Science Teacher Education -     

国外小学科学教师教育研究述评———基于Science Education的文献计量分析

通过文献计量分析的方法,对近10年来国际科学教育权威杂志 Science Education 的科学教师教育专栏文献的发文量、作者、内容等进行计量分析。结果表明,该杂志教师教育研究已形成核心作者;论文多以合作者发表;质性方法是主要研究方法;研究)容主题多元化。这对中国小学科学教师教育研究的方式、方法和研究方向有着重要的启示。     

The Use of Analogies in Science Communication: Effectiveness of an Activity in Initial Primary Science Teacher Education

International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education - This article presents a study focused on analysing the effectiveness of an activity about the use of analogies in science communication....     

Professional Identity Development of Teacher Candidates Participating in an Informal Science Education Internship: A focus on drawings as evidence

This study investigated the professional identity development of teacher candidates participating in an informal afterschool science internship in a formal science teacher preparation programme. We used a qualitative research methodology. Data were collected from the teacher candidates, their informal internship mentors, and the researchers. The data were analysed through an identity development theoretical framework, informed by participants’ mental models of science teaching and learning. We learned that the experience in an afterschool informal internship encouraged the teacher candidates to see themselves, and to be seen by others, as enacting key recommendations by science education standards documents, including exhibiting: positive attitudes, sensitivity to diversity, and increasing confidence in facilitating hands‐on science participation, inquiry, and collaborative work. Our study provided evidence that the infusion of an informal science education internship in a formal science teacher education programme influenced positively participants’ professional identity development as science teachers.     

The Inclusion of Informal Environments in Science Teacher Preparation

Journal of Science Teacher Education -     

本科小学教育专业课程设置研究与实践

我国小学教师的培养已经提高到了本科层次,如何将小学教育专业纳入高等教育的范畴加以建设,通过实验形成具有中国特色的本科学历小学教师培养模式和课程体系,是我国教师教育发展中一个十分值得探索的重要问题。由于经济社会发展的不平衡,需要各地区的师范院校根据所在地区的经济社会发展情况、学校特色等制订相适应的培养模式和课程方案,满足基础教育对人才的需求和社会改革发展的需要。     

A Framework for Learning to Teach Science in Initial Primary Teacher Education

Journal of Science Teacher Education -     

If We Teach Them, They Can Learn: Young Students Views of Nature of Science During an Informal Science Education Program

There have been substantial reform efforts in science education to improve students’ understandings of science and its processes and provide continual support for students becoming scientifically literate (AAAS, Benchmarks for science literacy, Oxford University Press, New York, 1993; NRC, National Academy Press, Washington, DC, 1996; NSTA, NSTA position statement: The nature of science, , 2000). Despite previous research, it is still unclear whether young children are actually developmentally ready to conceptualize the ideas that are recommended in the reforms (Akerson and Volrich, J Res Sci Teach 43:377–394, 2006). The purpose of this study was to explore how explicit-reflective instruction could improve young students’ understanding of NOS. During an informal education setting, the authors taught NOS aspects using explicit-reflective instruction. Overall the students participating in the program improved their understanding of the target aspects of NOS through use of explicit reflective instruction. However, the levels of improvement varied across different aspects. Students improved the most in their understanding of the tentative nature of science and the roles of observation in scientific work, although there was still some confusion regarding the distinction between observation and inference. More work needs to be done exploring these specific topics and the role explicit reflective practice can play in identifying the particular problems students have in distinguishing these constructs.     

Challenges in STEM Teaching: Implication for Preservice and Inservice Teacher Education Program

As former and current STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) school teachers in Singapore, we explore the challenges we both experienced while teaching at different STEM schools. Through this article, we make a case for the teacher preparation programs locally and around the world to give more attention to a changing education landscape with emerging specialized STEM schools. Nonetheless, even though specialized STEM teacher preparation is needed, we also caution that having such a specialized program may limit teachers' horizontal transition to mainstream schools and awareness of the contextualized needs of more diverse learners.     

If We Teach Them, They Can Learn: Young Students Views of Nature of Science Aspects to Early Elementary Students During an Informal Science Education Program

There have been substantial reform efforts in science education to improve students’ understandings of science and its processes and provide continual support for students becoming scientifically literate (American Association for the Advancement of Science in Benchmarks for science literacy, Oxford University Press, New York, 1993; National Research Council in Mathematics and science education around the world, National Academy Press, Washington DC, 1996; National Science Teachers Association in NSTA position statement 2000). Despite previous research, it is still unclear whether young children are actually developmentally ready to conceptualize the ideas that are recommended in the reforms (Akerson V, Volrich M (2006) Journal of Research and Science Teaching, 43, 377–394). The purpose of this study was to explore how explicit-reflective instruction could improve young students’ understanding of NOS. During an informal education setting, the authors taught NOS aspects using explicit-reflective instruction. Overall the students participating in the program improved their understanding of the target aspects of NOS through use of explicit reflective instruction. However, the levels of improvement varied across different aspects. Students improved the most in their understanding of the tentative nature of science and the roles of observation in scientific work, although there was still some confusion regarding the distinction between observation and inference. More work needs to be done exploring these specific topics and the role explicit reflective practice can play in identifying the particular problems students have in distinguishing these constructs.     

基础教育改革背景下的教师教育策略

基础教育课程改革对中小学教师提出了新的要求，也给高师教育带来了巨大的挑战。培养和造就一大批理解新课程、实施新课程的教师，是基础教育改革顺利推进的关键。在教师持续培养和终身发展的过程中，高师院校是基础，中小学校是关键，高师院校与中小学的合作是实现这一目标的有效途径。     

Toward Understanding the Nature of a Partnership Between an Elementary Classroom Teacher and an Informal Science Educator

This study explored the nature of the relationship between a fifth-grade teacher and an informal science educator as they planned and implemented a life science unit in the classroom, and sought to define this relationship in order to gain insight into the roles of each educator. In addition, student learning as a result of instruction was assessed. Prior research has predominately examined relationships and roles of groups of teachers and informal educators in the museum setting (Tal et al. in Sci Educ 89:920–935, 2005; Tal and Steiner in Can J Sci Math Technol Educ 6:25–46, 2006; Tran 2007). The current study utilized case study methodology to examine one relationship (between two educators) in more depth and in a different setting—an elementary classroom. The relationship was defined through a framework of cooperation, coordination, and collaboration (Buck 1998; Intriligator 1986, 1992) containing eight dimensions. Findings suggest a relationship of coordination, which requires moderate commitment, risk, negotiation, and involvement, and examined the roles that each educator played and how they negotiated these roles. Consistent with previous examinations in science education of educator roles, the informal educator’s role was to provide the students with expertise and resources not readily available to them. The roles played by the classroom teacher included classroom management, making connections to classroom activities and curricula, and clarifying concepts. Both educators’ perceptions suggested they were at ease with their roles and that they felt these roles were critical to the optimization of the short time frames (1 h) the informal educator was in the classroom. Pre and posttest tests demonstrated students learned as a result of the programs.