Author: Publisher: ISBN: 9781124686387 Category : Languages : en Pages : 222
Book Description
In this study, I examined the relationships among Personal Science Teaching Efficacy (PSTE) beliefs, science teaching practices, and the beliefs about these practices within a nationwide diverse sample of inservice elementary teachers. More specifically, the goal of my study was to answer two questions: (1) How do these teachers with varying levels of self-efficacy compare in the ways that they (a) describe how science should be taught, (b) describe their own science teaching practices, and (c) are actually observed teaching science?; and (2) In what ways are these areas of belief and practice aligned?. In order to answer these questions, data were collected from thirty-eight inservice elementary teachers from across the United States using the Reformed Teacher Observation Protocol (RTOP), semi-structured interviews, and the Science Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument (STEBI-A). Pearson's correlations and independent sample t-tests of coded qualitative data and quantitative survey data were conducted in order to compare the beliefs and practices regarding science teaching within and across PSTE levels. In addition, eight case profile teachers were chosen with varying combinations of high and low PSTE and RTOP scores in order to examine some of the complexities existing between science teaching self-efficacy beliefs and science teaching behaviors in closer detail. Results revealed that a majority of the positive behaviors commonly associated with greater science teaching self-efficacy, especially giving students more control over their own science learning, did manifest themselves in participants' beliefs about science teaching. However, most of these beliefs did not align with actual observed classroom practices. Interviews and observations of case profile teachers revealed how self-efficacy levels manifested themselves in different ways with different teachers. While there do appear to be some overall advantages to increasing elementary teachers' science teaching self-efficacy, the situation is much more complex than it is sometimes portrayed in the literature; by simply increasing elementary teachers' levels of efficacy beliefs, there is no guarantee that they will actually teach science in a more reformed, inquiry-based manner. The results of my dissertation should, therefore, give science teacher education researchers pause when making blanket assumptions about the benefits of increasing elementary teachers' self-efficacy.
Author: James Deehan Publisher: Springer ISBN: 3319424653 Category : Science Languages : en Pages : 93
Book Description
The purpose of this Springer Brief is to provide a comprehensive review of both the STEBI methods and findings through the use of a clearly defined analytic framework. A systematic review of literature yielded 107 STEBI-A research items and 140 STEBI-B research items. The STEBI instruments have been used in a wide range of qualitative, cross sectional, longitudinal and experimental designs. Analysis of the findings of the papers reveals that in-service and pre-service programs that use innovative practices such as cooperative learning, inquiry based investigation and nature of science instruction can produce positive growth in participants’ science teaching efficacy beliefs. The personal science teaching efficacy beliefs of pre-service and in-service teachers showed greater mean scores and higher growth than their outcome expectancies. Implications are discussed.
Author: Robert Evans Publisher: Springer ISBN: 9462095574 Category : Education Languages : en Pages : 225
Book Description
This book provides science teacher educators and science educational researchers with a current overview on the roles of beliefs in science education settings. There are four focal areas in the book: an overview of this field of research, lines of research, implications for policy, and implications for educators. Within each of these areas there are specific explorations that examine important areas such as, the roles of beliefs in teaching and learning, the impact of beliefs on student achievement, and ways in which beliefs are connected to teacher actions in the classroom. Throughout all of these discussions, there is a focus on international perspectives. Those reading this book can use the research presented to consider how to confront, challenge, and cultivate beliefs during the teacher professional development process.
Author: Sandra K. Abell Publisher: Routledge ISBN: 1136781218 Category : Education Languages : en Pages : 1345
Book Description
This state-of-the art research Handbook provides a comprehensive, coherent, current synthesis of the empirical and theoretical research concerning teaching and learning in science and lays down a foundation upon which future research can be built. The contributors, all leading experts in their research areas, represent the international and gender diversity that exists in the science education research community. As a whole, the Handbook of Research on Science Education demonstrates that science education is alive and well and illustrates its vitality. It is an essential resource for the entire science education community, including veteran and emerging researchers, university faculty, graduate students, practitioners in the schools, and science education professionals outside of universities. The National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST) endorses the Handbook of Research on Science Education as an important and valuable synthesis of the current knowledge in the field of science education by leading individuals in the field. For more information on NARST, please visit: http://www.narst.org/.
Author: Dennis W. Sunal Publisher: IAP ISBN: 162396752X Category : Education Languages : en Pages : 542
Book Description
Research in Science Education (RISE) Volume 6, Research Based Undergraduate Science Teaching examines research, theory, and practice concerning issues of teaching science with undergraduates. This RISE volume addresses higher education faculty and all who teach entry level science. The focus is on helping undergraduates develop a basic science literacy leading to scientific expertise. RISE Volume 6 focuses on research-based reforms leading to best practices in teaching undergraduates in science and engineering. The goal of this volume is to provide a research foundation for the professional development of faculty teaching undergraduate science. Such science instruction should have short- and longterm impacts on student outcomes. The goal was carried out through a series of events over several years. The website at http://nseus.org documents materials from these events. The international call for manuscripts for this volume requested the inclusion of major priorities and critical research areas, methodological concerns, and results of implementation of faculty professional development programs and reform in teaching in undergraduate science classrooms. In developing research manuscripts to be reviewed for RISE, Volume 6, researchers were asked to consider the status and effectiveness of current and experimental practices for reforming undergraduate science courses involving all undergraduates, including groups of students who are not always well represented in STEM education. To influence practice, it is important to understand how researchbased practice is made and how it is implemented. The volume should be considered as a first step in thinking through what reform in undergraduate science teaching might look like and how we help faculty to implement such reform.
Author: Deepika Menon Publisher: ISBN: Category : Languages : en Pages : 192
Book Description
Self-efficacy beliefs that relate to teachers’ motivation and performance have been an important area of concern for preservice teacher education. This study used a mixed-methods approach to investigate the changes in preservice elementary teachers’ science self-efficacy beliefs and the factors associated in a specialized elementary physics content course. In addition, the study is one of few to investigate the relationship between the changes in science self-efficacy beliefs and changes in physical science conceptual understanding. Participants included fifty-one preservice elementary teachers enrolled in two term of the physical science content course. Data collection and analysis procedures included both qualitative and quantitative measures. Data collection included implementation of Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument-B (STEBI-B) (Bleicher, 2004) and Physical Science Concept Test as pre- and post-test, two semi-structured interviews with 18 participants (nine each semester), classroom observations and artifacts. A pre-post, repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) design was used to test the significance of differences between the pre- and post-surveys across time. Results indicated statistically significant gains in participants’ science self-efficacy beliefs on both scales of STEBI-B - personal science teaching beliefs and outcome expectancy beliefs. Additionally, a positive moderate relationship between science conceptual understandings and personal science teaching efficacy beliefs was found. Post-hoc analysis of the STEBI-B data was used to select 18 participants for interviews. The participants belonged to each group representing the low, medium and high initial levels of self-efficacy beliefs. Participants’ responses indicated positive shifts in their science teacher self-image and confidence to teach science in future. Four categories that represented the course-related factors contributing towards science self-efficacy beliefs included: (1) enhanced science conceptual understandings, (2) active learning experiences, (3) teaching strategies, and (4) instructor as a role-model. Findings suggest that despite of the nature of prior science experiences preservice elementary teachers previously had, an exposure to a course that integrates relevant science content along with modeled instructional strategies can positively impact science self-efficacy beliefs. While some course elements such as active learning experiences and teaching models seemed to impact all groups positively, the low group participants were particularly influenced by the multiple representations of the content and the course instructor as a role model. These findings have important implications for preservice science teacher preparation programs.
Author: Barry J. Fraser Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media ISBN: 1402090412 Category : Science Languages : en Pages : 1516
Book Description
The International Handbook of Science Education is a two volume edition pertaining to the most significant issues in science education. It is a follow-up to the first Handbook, published in 1998, which is seen as the most authoritative resource ever produced in science education. The chapters in this edition are reviews of research in science education and retain the strong international flavor of the project. It covers the diverse theories and methods that have been a foundation for science education and continue to characterize this field. Each section contains a lead chapter that provides an overview and synthesis of the field and related chapters that provide a narrower focus on research and current thinking on the key issues in that field. Leading researchers from around the world have participated as authors and consultants to produce a resource that is comprehensive, detailed and up to date. The chapters provide the most recent and advanced thinking in science education making the Handbook again the most authoritative resource in science education.
Author: Deborah L. Hanson Publisher: ISBN: 9780542936784 Category : Languages : en Pages : 494
Book Description
Science is a subject that many elementary teachers struggle to teach. One of the reasons documented in the literature is the low science teaching self-efficacy of many elementary teachers. This study investigated possible connections between how a teacher defines science (her personal definition of science) and her science teaching self-efficacy. Thirteen teachers participating in Science EDUCATES, a professional development program that emphasized NOS, scientific inquiry and physical science content knowledge, were investigated to see how their science teaching self-efficacy was impacted as changes to their personal definition of science occurred. Two of these teachers were selected for further study; in addition, two teachers, outside the professional development, were also studied. Personal definitions of science were gathered using the VNOS-D2 and VOSI-E survey instruments while science teaching self-efficacy was measured by the STEBI survey. Interviews and classroom observations were conducted to see the patterns that emerged between the teachers' personal definition of science, their science self-efficacy and their classroom practices. The teachers in the professional development did increase their science teaching self-efficacy and contributed this increase to their enhanced knowledge about NOS and how scientific knowledge is generated. This increased science content knowledge led to a statistically significant difference in the PSTE scores of the teachers. Teachers with low to mid science teaching self-efficacy levels seem to have various elements embedded within their personal definition of science that prevents them from engaging fully in science. Their science practices seem to pattern those subjects, like social studies or language arts, they are more comfortable teaching. Understanding NOS helped the teachers to change their personal definitions of science and place their classroom practices more in line with the recommendations in the national reform documents. Teachers were able to incorporate NOS into their classroom practices by making multi-disciplinary connections between NOS and other subject areas. It does appear, however, that no direct relationship exists between one's personal definition of science and science teaching self-efficacy. One cannot predict a teacher's science teaching self-efficacy based solely on their definitions of science; however, low science self-efficacy teachers can benefit from studying NOS.
Author: Aman Yadav Publisher: Routledge ISBN: 1000452638 Category : Education Languages : en Pages : 218
Book Description
Computational Thinking in Education explores the relevance of computational thinking in primary and secondary education. As today’s school-aged students prepare to live and work in a thoroughly digitized world, computer science is providing a wealth of new learning concepts and opportunities across domains. This book offers a comprehensive overview of computational thinking, its history, implications for equity and inclusion, analyses of competencies in practice, and integration into learning, instruction, and assessment through scaffolded teacher education. Computer science education faculty and pre- and in-service educators will find a fresh pedagogical approach to computational thinking in primary and secondary classrooms.
Author: Demetria Lynn Newsome Publisher: ISBN: Category : Dissertations, Academic Languages : en Pages : 212
Book Description
Teachers' efficacy beliefs have been shown to correlate positively with to the successful implementation of science reform measures (National Research Council, 1996) and are context specific (Koul & Rubba, 1999). Studies on teacher efficacy in specific contexts have been conducted including the availability of resources and parent support (Tschannen-Moran & Hoy, 2002), classroom management (Emmer & Hickman, 1990; Raudenbush, Rowen, & Cheong, 1992); and institutional climate and behavior of the principal (Hoy & Woolfolk, 1993). The purpose of this study was to compare the science teaching efficacy beliefs of teacher interns prepared in professional development schools with those of student teachers prepared in traditional school settings. Other variables examined included academic level, academic major, and area of science concentration. Preservice science teacher efficacy beliefs were measured using the Science Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument for Preservice Science Teachers, STEBI Form B (Enoch & Riggs, 1990) with demographic information being collected by an accompanying questionnaire. Analyses included scoring the surveys on two scales, Personal Science Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Scale and the Outcome Expectancy Scale, calculating descriptive statistics, as well as performing MANOVAS and correlations. Results indicate that preservice science teachers working in professional development schools exhibit higher personal science teaching efficacy beliefs. This finding corroborates previous studies on the efficacy beliefs of preservice teachers working in PDS schools (Long, 1996; Sandholtz & Dadlez, 2000). Results also show a strong correlation between the personal science teaching efficacy beliefs and the setting where student teaching takes place. In addition, significant differences were found in the personal science teaching efficacy beliefs between elementary education majors and science majors, science education majors, and secondary education majors. Findings of the study have implications for the design of preservice science teacher clinical experiences including providing longer, organized clinical experiences and preferential selection of preservice science teachers for PDS practicum assignments. -- Abstract.
Author: 
Author: James Deehan
Author: Robert Evans
Author: Sandra K. Abell
Author: Dennis W. Sunal
Author: Deepika Menon
Author: Barry J. Fraser
Author: Deborah L. Hanson
Author: Aman Yadav
Author: Demetria Lynn Newsome