Linn, M.C. Volunteers receive training, a sourcebook of activities appropriate for middle school students, a kit of science materials, and a set of videotapes. Emerging issues and practices in science assessment. These strategies included arranging seating to facilitate student discussion, requiring students to supply evidence to support their claims, encouraging students to explain concepts to one another, and having students work in cooperative groups. Songer, C., and Mintzes, J. Providing more focused, effective, and sustained professional development activities for more science teachers requires not only substantial financial resources and knowledge of effective professional development approaches, but also a coherent, coordinated approach at the school and district level. Arrangements must be made with Instructor to cover unavoidable absences or planned breaks. Perhaps this is because, among scientists, decisions about the kinds of questions to be asked and the kinds of answers to be sought are often developed by the scientific community rather than by an isolated individual (Millar, 2004). Transforming teaching in math and science: How schools and districts can support change. Rockville, MD: Westat. Chapel Hill, NC : Horizon Research. Culturally adaptive teaching and learning science in labs. 153-186). When asked whether they had time during the regular school week to work with colleagues on the curriculum and teaching, 69 percent of high school teachers disagreed and 4 percent had no opinion, leaving only 28 percent who agreed. The impact of longer term intervention on reforming the approaches to instructions in chemistry by urban teachers of physical and life sciences at the secondary school level. Click here to buy this book in print or download it as a free PDF, if available. Clearly, their preservice experiences do not provide the skills and knowledge needed to select and effectively carry out laboratory experiences that are appropriate for reaching specific science learning goals for a given group of students. Science Education, 77(1), 25-46. The program was designed in part to address weakness in science teachers understanding of the nature of science, which was documented in earlier research (Khalic and Lederman, 2000; Schwartz and Lederman, 2002). A student lab assistant ensures that students do not practice any unsafe behaviors in the lab. Effects of professional development on teachers instruction: Results from a three-year longitudinal study. Driver, R. (1995). laboratory notebooks, essays, and portfolios (Hein and Price, 1994; Gitomer and Duschl, 1998; Harlen, 2000, 2001). In B.J. People working in the clinical laboratory are responsible for conducting tests that provide crucial information for detecting, diagnosing, treating, and monitoring disease. Committee on Techniques for the Enhancement of Human Performance: Occupational Analysis. Modifying cookbook labs. Prospective and practicing secondary school science teachers knowledge and beliefs about the philosophy of science. Even teachers who have majored in science may be limited in their ability to lead effective laboratory experiences, because their undergraduate science preparation provided only weak knowledge of science content and included only weak laboratory experiences. (2004). Erroneous ideas about respiration: The teacher factor. The laboratory science teacher professional development program. (2004). Designing computer learning environments for engineering and computer science: The scaffolded knowledge integration framework. Seattle: Author. Schwartz, R., and Lederman, N. (2002). Few professional development programs for science teachers emphasize laboratory instruction. A research agenda. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 29, 51-61. Large majorities of students indicated that the program had increased their interest in science, while large majorities of teachers said they would recommend the program to other teachers and that the volunteers had had a beneficial effect on their science teaching. Among the volunteers, 97 percent said they would recommend RE-SEED to a colleague, and most said that the training, placement in schools, and support from staff had made their time well spent (Zahopoulos, 2003). It means figuring out what students comprehend by listening to them during their discussions about science. Millar, R. (2004). Project ICAN includes an intensive three-day summer orientation for science teachers followed by full-day monthly workshops from September through June, focusing on the nature of science and scientific inquiry. Some individual teachers told our committee that they did not have adequate preparation and cleanup time. ), Knowledge base for the beginning teacher. Research on teachers using a science curriculum that integrates laboratory experiences into the stream of instruction indicates that repeated practice with such a curriculum, as well as time for collaboration and reflection with professional colleagues, leads teachers to shift from focusing on laboratory procedures to focusing on science learning goals (Williams, Linn, Ammon, and Gearheart, 2004). Windschitl, M. (2004). Journal of Science Education and Technology, 4(2), 103-126. ), Development in school finance, 1996. Teachers do not have sole responsibility for carrying out laboratory experiences that are designed with clear learning outcomes in mind, thoughtfully sequenced into the flow of classroom science instruction, integrating the learning of science content and process, and incorporating ongoing student reflection and discussion, as suggested by the research. These workshops include microteaching (peer presentation) sessions. Preordained science and student autonomy: The nature of laboratory tasks in physics classrooms. Leading laboratory experiences is a demanding task requiring teachers to have sophisticated knowledge of science content and process, how students learn science, assessment of students learning, and how to design instruction to support the multiple goals of science education. Finally, an . U.S. Department of Education. Share a link to this book page on your preferred social network or via email. National Research Council. Revisiting what states are doing to improve the quality of teaching: An update on patterns and trends. During the school year, teachers may access kits of materials supporting laboratory experiences that use biomedical research tools. This is a culminating project for a Forensics course or unit. Switch between the Original Pages, where you can read the report as it appeared in print, and Text Pages for the web version, where you can highlight and search the text. Science Teacher, September, 38-41. Because efforts to improve teachers ability to lead improved laboratory experiences are strongly influenced by the organization and administration of their schools, the following section addresses this larger context. Laboratories in science education: Understanding the history and nature of science. Evaluating the evidence. The mystery of good teaching: Surveying the evidence on student achievement and teachers characteristics. Science Teacher Responsibilities: Designing, developing, and delivering quality lesson plans and curricula that adhere to national and school guidelines. The arts and science as preparation for teaching. Reynolds (Ed. Slotta, J.D. Paper prepared for the Committee on High School Science Laboratories: Role and Vision, June 3-4, National Research Council, Washington, DC. Once on the job, science teachers have few opportunities to improve their laboratory teaching. (2002). In reviewing the state of biology education in 1990, an NRC committee concluded that few teachers had the knowledge or skill to lead effective laboratory experiences and recommended that major new programs should be developed for providing in-service education on laboratory activities (National Research Council, 1990, p. 34). The 2000 National Survey of Science and Mathematics Education: Compendium of tables. This method can assist children in becoming more engaged readers and developing critical thinking abilities. Davis, and P. Bell (Eds. National Research Council. In M.C. Science Education, 75, 121-133. 4.8. Meaning making in secondary science classrooms. We then compare the desired skills and knowledge with information about the current skills and knowledge of high school science teachers. Do you want to take a quick tour of the OpenBook's features? University of Michigan Physics Department: GSI training course. Student outcomes and the professional preparation of eighth-grade teachers in science and mathematics: NSF/NELS. The changing nature of work: Implications for occupational analysis. A focus on deepening teachers knowledge of science or mathematics. Further research is needed to inform design of professional development that can effectively support improvements in teachers laboratory instruction. It aims to support teachers to improve their teaching skills for active learning in university science laboratory courses. A survey of students, teachers, and volunteers yielded positive results. In K. Howey and N. Zimpher (Eds. A science methodology course for middle and high school teachers offered experience in using the findings from laboratory investigations as the driving force for further instruction (Priestley, Priestly, and Schmuckler, 1997). CrossRef Google Scholar Johnstone, A. H., & Al-Shuaili, A. Anderson, C., Sheldon, T., and Dubay, J. It is necessary even to lead students in activities designed to verify existing scientific knowledge. The main role of a teaching assistant is to provide support to the course instructor to ensure the effective delivery of the required materials and to foster a positive learning environment. (2000). Linn, E.A. International Journal of Science Education 22(7), 665-701. To date, over 400 RE-SEED volunteers have worked with schools in 10 states. And, among teachers who left because of job dissatisfaction, mathematics and science teachers reported more frequently than other teachers that they left because of poor administrative support (Ingersoll, 2003, p. 7). While teachers play an active role in lecture-based teaching methods, the students' role is usually reduced to sitting at their desks and listening passively to their teachers, to all. MyNAP members SAVE 10% off online. As a GSI you are transitioning from a student to an instructor, from someone whose responsibility was to learn in the lab class to someone who now helps others learn in the lab class. School administrators play a critical role in supporting the successful integration of laboratory experiences in high school science by providing improved approaches to professional development and adequate time for teacher planning and implementation of laboratory experiences. This paper explores the role of laboratory and field-based research experiences in secondary science education by summarizing research documenting how such activities promote science learning. Most states do not regulate the quality and content of professional development required for renewal of teaching certificates (Hirsch, Koppich, and Knapp, 2001). Zahopoulos, C. (2003). In this section, we describe the types of teacher knowledge and skills that may be required to lead a range of laboratory experiences aligned with our design principles, comparing the required skills with evidence about the current state of teachers knowledge and skills. A study of Ohios Statewide Systemic Initiative in science and mathematics also confirmed that sustained professional development, over many hours, is required to change laboratory teaching practices (Supovitz, Mayer, and Kahle, 2000, cited in Windschitl, 2004, p. 20): A highly intensive (160 hours) inquiry-based professional development effort changed teachers attitudes towards reform, their preparation to use reform-based practices, and their use of inquiry-based teaching practices. ), The black-white test score gap. Review of Educational Research, 52(2), 201-217. In these discussions, the teacher helps students to resolve dissonances between the way they initially understood a phenomenon and the new evidence. In E. Hegarty-Hazel (Ed. Before its too late: A report to the nation from the national commission on mathematics and science teaching for the 21st century. Austin, TX: Southwest Educational Development Laboratory. Based on feedback from you, our users, we've made some improvements that make it easier than ever to read thousands of publications on our website. Teachers need to use data drawn from conversations, observations, and previous student work to make informed decisions about how to help them move toward desired goals. (71) $4.50. 13-Week Science Methodology Course. (1990). Only 11 percent of responding teachers indicated that science teachers in their school regularly observed other science teachers. Methods of assessing student learning in laboratory activities include systematically observing and evaluating students performance in specific laboratory tasks and longer term laboratory investigations. Active learning opportunities focused on analysis of teaching and learning. Professional development and preservice programs that combined laboratory experiences with instruction about the key concepts of the nature of science and engaged teachers in reflecting on their experiences in light of those concepts were more successful in developing improved understanding (Khalic and Lederman, 2000). Hudson, S.B., McMahon, K.C., and Overstreet, C.M. Using questioning to assess and foster student thinking. instructors and laboratory assistants working in school or college settings in vocational . What is the current status of labs in our nations high schools as a context for learning science? In contrast, a physicist might use mathematics to describe or represent the reflection, transmission, and absorption of light. Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2218, Strategies for Effective Teaching in the Laboratory Class, 2021Regents of the University of Michigan. In B.J. Is laboratory-based instruction in beginning college-level chemistry worth the effort and expense? In this program, faculty modeled lower-level inquiry-oriented instruction focused on short laboratory sessions with limited lecturing and no definitions of terms. He suggests that a high school physics teacher should know concepts or principles to emphasize when introducing high school students to a particular topic (p. 264). This earlier research indicated that, just as engaging students in laboratory experiences in isolation led to little or no increase in their understanding of the nature of science, engaging prospective or current science teachers in laboratory activities led to little or no increase in their understanding of the nature of science. Duschl, R. (1983). (2003). laboratory as well as for the laboratory use in science teaching. Synergy research and knowledge integration. (1990). Coffey, Everyday assessment in the science classroom (pp. Washington, DC: National Academy Press. Research conducted in teacher education programs provides some evidence of the quality of preservice science education (Windschitl, 2004). The inequities in the availability of academically prepared teachers may pose a serious challenge to minority and poor students progress toward the. Generally, the body of research is weak, and the effects of teacher quality on student outcomes are small and specific to certain contexts. The effects of professional development on science teaching practices and classroom culture. Why staying ahead one chapter doesnt really work: Subject-specific pedagogy. Seattle: University of Washington, Center for the Study of Teaching and Policy. The teachers skills in posing questions and leading discussions affect students ability to build meaning from their laboratory experiences. The laboratory has been given a central and distinctive role in science education, and science educators have suggested that there are rich benefits in learning from using laboratory activities. Deng, Z. The teacher strives to fathom what the student is saying and what is implied about the students knowledge in his or her statements, questions, work and actions. 6. School administrators can take several approaches to providing time for this type of ongoing discussion and reflection that supports student learning during laboratory experiences. However, several types of inflexible scheduling may discourage effective laboratory experiences, including (a) limits on teacher planning time, (b) limits on teacher setup and cleanup time, and (c) limits on time for laboratory experiences. The condition of education. They further report (Lederman, 2004, p. 8): By observing practicing scientists and writing up their reflections, teachers gained insight into what scientists do in various research areas, such as crystallization, vascular tissue engineering, thermal processing of materials, nutrition, biochemistry, molecular biology, microbiology, protein purification and genetics. Undergraduate science students, including preservice teachers, engage. One study illustrates undergraduate students lack of exposure to the full range of scientists activities, and the potential benefits of engaging them in a broader range of experiences. (ED 409-634.) Davis, and P. Bell (Eds. Examining the effects of a highly rated curriculum unit on diverse students: Results from a planning grant. Literature review: The role of the teacher in inquiry-based education. Harrison and Killion (2007) defined the roles of . Classroom assessment and the national science education standards. Washington, DC: National Academy Press. Committee on High School Biology Education, Commission on Life Sciences. Laboratory experiences as a part of most U.S. high school science curricula have been taken for granted for decades, but they have rarely been carefully examined. Constructivist approaches to science teaching. Boys and girls in the performance-based classroom: Whos doing the performing? Laboratory activities have long had a distinct and central role in the science curriculum as a means of making sense of the natural world. Studies focusing specifically on science teacher quality and student achievement are somewhat more conclusive. Available at: http://www7.nationalacademies.org/bose/June_3-4_2004_High_School_Labs_Meeting_Agenda.html [accessed May 2005]. The degree to which teachers themselves have attained the goals we speak of in this report is likely to influence their laboratory teaching and the extent to which their students progress toward these goals. The teachers, all biology majors, could only list the courses they had taken as a way to organize their fields. Second group of factors are the environmental factors. Fraser and K.G. Studies of the few schools and teachers that have implemented research-based science curricula with embedded laboratory experiences have found that engaging teachers in developing and refining the curricula and in pro-. Catley, K. (2004). goals of laboratory experiences. Presentation to the NRC Committee on High School Science Laboratories, March 29, Washington, DC. A teachers academic science preparation appears to affect student science achievement generally. This lack of discussion may be due to the fact that high school science teachers depend heavily on the use of textbooks and accompanying laboratory manuals (Smith et al., 2002), which rarely include discussions. They must consider how to clearly communicate the learning goals of the laboratory experience to their students. International Journal of Science Education, 18(7), 775-790. Among those who had, an overwhelming majority said the experience had helped them better understand science content and improved both their teaching practice and their enthusiasm (Bayer Corporation, 2004). Gess-Newsome, J., and Lederman, N. (1993). Harlen, W. (2000). Rethinking laboratories. The web-based inquiry science environment (WISE): Scaffolding knowledge integration in the science classroom. (1997). Quantitative approach was used to investigate effects of teaching science subjects in absence of science laboratory and to. American Association of Physics Teachers. Education Next, 2(1), 50-55. In a study of 100 preservice science teachers, only 20 percent reported having laboratory experiences that gave them opportunities to ask their own questions and to design their own science investigations (Windschitl, 2004). Goldhaber, D.D., Brewer, D.J., and Anderson, D. (1999). Washington, DC: Author. View our suggested citation for this chapter. Prepare lab apparatus and equipment. Glagovich, N., and Swierczynski, A. A supportive school administration could help teachers overcome their isolation and learn from each other by providing time and space to reflect on their laboratory teaching and on student learning in the company of colleagues (Gamoran, 2004). Expertise in science alone also does not ensure that teachers will be able to anticipate which concepts will pose the greatest difficulty for students and design instruction accordingly. Currently, few teachers lead this type of sense-making discussion (Smith, Banilower, McMahon, and Weiss, 2002). Participation of groups of teachers from the same school, department, or grade. Learning to teach inquiry science in a technology-based environment: A case study. The literature provides an overview of a range of factors motivating and demotivating pre-service and in-service teachers, and the role teacher motivation plays in possible links with other areas. ), Constructivism in education. At this time, however, some educators have begun to question seriously the effectiveness and the role of laboratory Journal of Science Teacher Education, 6(2), 120-124. These changes persisted several years after the teachers concluded their professional development experiences.. (2004). About this Course. in a limited range of laboratory experiences that do not follow the principles of instructional design identified in Chapter 3. Linn, E.A. [I]t represents the blending of content and pedagogy into an understanding of how particular topics, problems, or issues are organized, represented and adapted to the diverse interests and abilities of learners, and presented for instruction. 4. Javonovic, J., and King, S.S. (1998). (1995). At this time, however, some educators have begun to question seriously the effectiveness and the role of laboratory work, and the case for laboratory . We begin by identifying some of the knowledge and skills required to lead laboratory experiences aligned with the goals and design principles we have identified. In the ICAN program, teachers participate in science internships with working scientists as one element in a larger program of instruction that includes an initial orientation and monthly workshops. Hanusek, E., Kain, J., and Rivkin, S. (1999). Available at: http://www.nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/2004/section4/indicator24.asp [accessed Feb. 2005]. London, England: Routledge. The distinction between key ideas in teaching school physics and key ideas in the discipline of physics. Some research indicates that teachers do not respond to sustained professional development by taking their new knowledge and skills to other schools, but rather by staying and creating new benefits where they are. Loucks-Horsley, Love, Stiles, Mundry, and Hewson (2003) provide a detailed design framework for professional development and descriptions of case studies, identifying strategies for improving science teaching that may be applicable to improving laboratory teaching. The research comprised both quantitative and qualitative approaches. DeSimone, L.M., Garet, M., Birman, B., Porter, A., and Yoon, K. (2003). Reporting on a post-institute survey, McComas and Colburn note that a surprising number of teachers felt that the safety sessions were most important (p. 121) (no numbers were reported). Arlington, VA: National Science Teachers Association. ), The student laboratory and the curriculum (pp. Gamoran, A. For example, teachers realized that there is no unique method called the scientific method, after comparing the methods used in different labs, such as a biochemistry lab, engineering lab, and zoos.

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