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.     

前行、攀升与飞翔——与朱永新对话教师专业发展

教师专业水平的高低决定其教学效果的优劣,影响教师专业水平高低的因素一是师范教育的质量,二是教师的继续教育与提高。而面对教师队伍现状,后者显得更为重要。作为已经进入教师队伍的教师,可以从三个方面去提高自己的专业素养和专业水平:专业阅读——站在大师的肩膀上前行;专业写作——站在自己的肩膀上攀升;专业发展共同体——站在集体的肩膀上飞翔。     

Impressions of ICOTS II

The following short contributions are from people who attended the Second International Conference on Teaching Statistics held in Victoria, August 1986