Abstract:

Mentor teachers play a critical role in preservice science teacher education, but there is limited literature describing the nature of science specific mentoring and models of mentoring that provide cohesive learning experiences between teacher preparation programs and school contexts. While teacher preparation programs may select program alumni, little is known about how these mentors may leverage their knowledge of the program practices to support pre-service teacher’s learning. This is a case study of how a first-time mentor, and recent teacher preparation program alumna, mentored a pre-service chemistry teacher.  Sub-research questions were: a) In what ways, if any, does the mentor draw upon their shared knowledge of the teacher preparation program’s practices to help the preservice teacher (PST) learn to teach science in reform-minded ways? and b) What challenges do the mentor and mentee experience in enacting reform-oriented science teaching, and what is the nature of the mentoring during those challenges? The study is framed by Situated Learning Theory. Qualitative analysis of planning and curriculum documents, mentor observations, and mentor-mentee reflections on mentoring and learning to teach chemistry reveal how the mentor leveraged her knowledge of the program’s methods and practices to foster a synergistic learning experience and help the PST learn to teach in less traditional ways even within a school context that was not well-aligned to reform-oriented science teaching goals. The participants cited their own confusion, the state’s non-alignment, and their school’s prioritization of state assessments and day-to-day minutia as impediments to reform.  However, the mentor provided the PST critical autonomy that empowered her to include NGSS in her lesson(s). Findings imply the need for continued research regarding reform-oriented science teacher mentoring as well as thoughtful mentor teacher selection, mentor professional development and support, and clear communication between university, PST, mentor, and school.

Abstract:

Due to the unexpected global COVID-19 pandemic, the effective use of educational technology has brought attention to many educators. As the need for online education platforms and non-face-to-face educational content have increased, teachers at all grades had to design and implement lessons using educational technology that they had not used before. This study intends to propose a new online lesson design framework considering both online teaching and learning context and teachers’ competency in using educational technology. To develop an online science teaching competency framework, this study conducted two separate studies; 1) develop an initial framework by collecting and analyzing data from 43 pre-service teachers’ online teaching and 2) Delphi study with 10 science teaching experts to check the validity and revise the initial framework. As a result of the study, the online instructional design framework was derived from the two main dimensions of ‘Instructional design’ and ‘Lesson implementing ‘. Each dimension is composed of several steps for the instructional design of science classes.  We expect that this presented framework can guide pre-service and in-service teachers to design effective online teaching and learning.

Abstract:

The nature of science (NOS) is an encompassing phrase that “blends …the history, sociology, and philosophy of science combined with research from the cognitive sciences such as psychology…” (McComas, Clough, & Almazroa, 1998). Well-designed science teacher education programs with a dedicated NOS course have been shown to have a longitudinal positive impact on teachers NOS understanding and instructional practices (Herman, Clough, & Olson, 2013a & b; Herman & Clough, 2016), but such programs are rare. The most recent survey of NOS instruction in U.S. science teacher education programs (Backhus & Thompson, 2006) determined that at most perhaps 6% of preservice 9-12 science teachers will have taken a course dedicated to the HNOS.

Requiring a HNOS course offered in philosophy and history departments may appear to be a viable solution. However, history of science courses have been shown to have little impact on science teachers’ understanding or teaching of the HNOS (Abd-El-Khalick & Lederman, 2000), and the same is assuredly the case for traditional philosophy of science courses. These challenges may explain why simplistic and problematic NOS tenets (Allchin, 2011; Clough, 2006 & 2020; Matthews, 2012) are so ubiquitous in science education. While advocates of NOS tenets maintain that teachers must unpack them, this presumes they have sufficient understanding to do so. The challenge remains regarding how to effectively prepare science teachers and researchers who possess sufficient NOS understanding for promoting robust science content and HNOS teaching and learning.

This session presents our examination of central issues in the philosophy of science (Curd & Cover, 1998; Curd, Cover, & Pinock, 2012) to determine their relevance for preparing (a) teachers to promote robust understanding of science content, science practices, and HNOS; and (b) future HNOS researchers. Pragmatic resources addressing the identified central issues are provided to assist in preparing science teachers and NOS researchers.

Abstract:

The addition of engineering in the Next Generation Science Standards introduced a major outcome for the science education of K-12 students. While the intent for integrating engineering in the science curriculum could be interpreted as unclear, the application of such has ranged widely in K-12 science classrooms; of particular interest in this study is the integration of engineering in K-8 science instruction. Theoretical framing: An increasing number of studies are documenting teachers’ conceptions of engineering. However, since engineering is increasingly expected to be taught during school time for science, we cannot assume that students or teachers will distinguish one discipline from the other. This study investigates how 118 teachers and engineers working together in a 16-week semester to co-plan and co-instruct engineering instruction during science time distinguish science and engineering from post-semester interview data. Derived categories of interest capture how participants distinguished science from engineering including: the object of study, the utility of the field, goals, location of activity, method/process foregrounded in that discipline, and the personal traits of professionals in each discipline. Our findings indicate that few participants could describe engineering with sufficient specificity that their description could distinguish engineering from any other generative human activity. Teacher educators, policymakers, instructional coaches, and PD organizers should be aware of such issues with describing and distinguishing the disciplines of science and engineering from each other in order to best mitigate confusion and conflation

Abstract:

This study aimed to discuss the effect of science instruction based on engineering design about creativity. In December 2018, twelve lesson hours engineering design-based science program was implemented in an elementary science classes for 6th graders. The Elementary School was located in the P metropolitan city. In the engineering design process consisting of six stages, at the end of each stage, the students marked how creative they were on a 5-point scale, and briefly write down the creative moment in each stage. The measured scale scores were analyzed by Repeated Measured ANOVA, and the recorded unstructured data was subjected to inductive analysis including semantic network analysis. According to the results, learner’s self-reported creativity was significantly improved at Stage 3 and Stage 5. At both stages, learners (re)design and evaluate their idea. This study shows that the moment “demonstrate their thinking ability and directly implement it to the outputs” is directly related to the students’ perception of their creativity.

Abstract:

While professors in science content and methods courses can impact the nature of science (NOS) understandings of future elementary students, research is needed to understand the professors’ understandings and attitudes toward NOS instruction. This research is particularly needed within the Middle East, North Africa (MENA) region. Moroccan pre-service elementary science professors’ understandings and views of the instructional importance of NOS were explored over time within a two-month, two-session, professional-development (PD) program. Data sources included participants responses to (a) Students Scientific Understanding of Science and Scientific Inquiry (SUSSI), (b) Perceptions of the Relevance of Instructions of NOS (PRIPNOS),

Throughout the PD, participants were provided explicit-reflective NOS instructions and activities. Considering a very limited NOS intervention (4 hours PD), a pre-posttest analysis indicates significant improvements from pre-to-mid in understanding particularly for socio-cultural impacts on science and distinguishing between observations and inferences. Interestingly, findings showed strong correlation between scientists’ observations and sociocultural impacts on science. Also, the study showed evidence on the relationship between NOS levels of understanding and PRIPNOS variables. Responses to PD exit tickets suggest that the majority expressed a desire to learn how to teach NOS to their students after the first and second PD. These findings suggest a positive impact of the PD on participants’ NOS conceptions and perceptions of the relevance of NOS instruction

Abstract:

The lack of adequate representation in and access to STEM careers hinders advancements in STEM fields, perpetuates inequities, and highlights the need to expand and transform opportunities to develop interest, agency, and achievement in science. Science educators play a critical role in enacting practices and creating learning experiences that acknowledge, value, and leverage students’ diverse cultural and linguistic experiences. This session explores innovative models and tools at the frontier of culturally relevant and responsive instruction. Researchers describe frameworks for equitable and responsive science teaching, models for developing responsive teaching practices, and tools for examining those practices.

The National Science Foundation’s DRK-12 program funds research and development efforts that can advance our understanding of equitable science instructional practices that promote broader interest, participation, and achievement in science as well as evidence-based teacher education and professional development models that promote such practices. In this session, four DRK-12 projects discuss innovations in pre- and in-service teacher education to support culturally relevant and responsive science instruction. The papers examine this topic through different lenses, highlighting different dimensions of culturally relevant and responsive instruction, offering models and tools that are specific to particular disciplinary contexts and/or audiences, and providing an opportunity to discuss themes and issues that emerge across the set:

• Developing an Instructional Framework to Support Responsive Teaching for Emergent Bilingual Learners in Biology Classrooms
• Developing and Piloting a Tool to Assess Culturally Responsive Principles in STEM Instruction in Schools Serving Indigenous Students
• “How fascinating students’ ideas can be!” – Fostering Asset-Based Responsive Teaching Through the Cultivation of Epistemic Empathy
• Professional Development Model for Integrating Computational Thinking and Culturally Relevant Teaching Practices into Elementary Science Practice

Abstract:

Drawing on the new book, Age of Inference: Cultivating a Scientific Mindset, presenters will lead discussions about implications of the swift inundation of data in the Information Age sans the capacity for inferencing skills and ethical applications. The relevance and urgency of interdisciplinary alignments among science and education, with an emphasis on analysis and inference, will be highlighted with examples of recent anti-intellectual positions and actions that, paradoxically, have occurred in a time that should have brought us unprecedented enlightenment. Suggestions for improving the educational landscape will be offered. Upon entering The Age of Inference in a data-saturated world, a prudent reminder is offered that even the best tools for data analysis only partially complete the tasks involved in sentient inferencing. Achieving a level of scientific literacy in society that balances confidence and acceptance of the scientific enterprise with healthy, academic skepticism, rather than baseless and dangerous conspiratorial ideas, is a must for humanity’s advancement. This balance should take us far toward personal and public actions that are, indeed, value-laden but richly informed and which bend in the direction of progress for the equitable welfare of all.

Abstract:

Today’s teachers are turning to online educational marketplaces, where they purchase teacher-created classroom materials. We conducted a content analysis of highly rated products marketed for middle level science (grades 6, 7, and/or 8) on TeachersPayTeachers.com (TpT), one of the most prominent online educational marketplaces (Gomes, 2015). Specifically, we examined the alignment of these instructional materials to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) as well as the treatment and presentation of nature of science (NOS) ideas in these materials. Our sample included 38 products containing a variety of student tasks (e.g., investigations & worksheets) and teacher resources (e.g., PowerPoint slides, lesson plans, & answer keys). We analyzed more than 1,500 pages of instructional materials from these products and share descriptive statistics and representative excerpts in our findings.

Abstract:

An increase in energy use, light pollution, and landfill waste are negatively impacting our environment.  To change the current reality, children need to develop environmental literacy knowledge and skills in schools in order to solve these challenges as adults.  Engaging children in relevant, interdisciplinary problem-based learning experiences can help them develop the knowledge and skills needed to be an environmentally literate citizen.  In our case study, fourth graders engaged in a series of lessons to develop their knowledge of electricity and environmental literacy concepts.  They then applied their knowledge to develop an environmentally friendly flashlight for a local camping company.  After completing the unit, we found the students enhanced their knowledge of electricity and environmentally literacy concepts.  They also were able to apply their knowledge when selecting materials and designing their flashlight.  Some students had more difficulty with explaining the pros/cons for using certain materials in their flashlight design.  However, the learning experiences the students engaged in did help them retain their knowledge of electricity and environmental literacy concepts four months later.  These results demonstrate the importance of engaging children in problem-based learning experiences that allow them to apply and solidify their knowledge for the future. 

Abstract:

If a sustained increase in student learning is the ultimate goal of teacher professional development (PD), at the classroom level this equates to a sustained change in teachers’ behaviors. However, there is a lack of data on the long-term effects of PD. The purpose of this study was to determine pre-to-post gain durability of PD constructs as well as the factors that have enhanced or hindered 23 teachers’ classroom behaviors tied to PD practices 2.5 years after the end of a year-long inquiry-based PD. At this follow-up time point, the teachers were administered the same instruments they took pre-to-post as part of the original PD evaluation and participated in an interview. Earlier research on the effects of this PD found significant gains in the teachers’ science content knowledge, self-efficacy, and understanding of inquiry-based teaching on post-PD measures. Teachers’ scores on these instruments declined significantly by the follow-up, although they all remained significantly higher than baseline measures. Scores on a pedagogical content knowledge assessment were significantly higher than at both the pre- and post-PD time points. In the interviews, the teachers reported that the PD enhanced their confidence, inquiry and content knowledge, and attributed modest to substantial inquiry-based changes in their teaching practice to the PD. The teachers’ explicit use of PD pedagogy had declined due to competing initiatives and a lack of time, but there was evidence that inquiry-based teaching principles had become embedded in the teachers’ practices. The results of both quantitative and qualitative measures in this study indicate that high-quality, well-resourced PD leads to long-term self-perceived meaningful changes in teacher practice years after the PD ended. However, knowledge, as measured on instrument scores, and activity implementation as reported in interviews, indicates that high-quality PD has an expiration date. Results from this study may inform how researchers think about, measure, and interpret success in their own programs.

Abstract:

The question of how to best prepare student teachers for their eventual role in the classroom has been problematized across many frameworks and models. Today, the student teaching model is commonly used to give pre-service teachers the practice and exposure needed to be ready to lead their own classroom after completion of their training. In our preliminary study we aim to further explore what additional support pre-service teachers need while executing their student teaching placement in order to be ready to navigate the challenges of their first-year in the classroom. To do so, a multi-tiered model of pre-service teacher mentorship was developed and implemented throughout a one-semester Student Teaching in Science Education course, and the impacts of that course were subsequently analyzed. The brief preliminary study presented here follows two pre-service teachers in this course that is attempting to do more to support pre-service teachers, particularly in a time of increased uncertainty and novelty as the group navigated the challenges of remote teaching and learning through the COVID-19 pandemic. Ultimately, an analysis of the findings elicited three possible themes regarding the pre-service teachers’ experiences in learning to teach as they interacted with each type of mentor. The first centers around agency, both in how the pre-service teachers expressed agency and how their prior experiences informed this expression. The second emerged around conflicts that the pre-service teachers faced as they attempted to make sense of their learning from the three types of mentor. The final theme was around the different types of learning gained from each different mentor. Ultimately even if at times conflicts arose, both pre-service teachers felt that this multilayered approach to mentorship supported them in a constructive way. 

Abstract:

As a means to address the underrepresentation of women in STEM, this study reviews evaluations of an annual, residential summer camp for middle-school girls and its challenges while transitioning and implementing a virtual program necessitated by the pandemic. Guided by the lens of design-based research, an examination of daily student and teacher interactions, journal reflections, surveys, and interviews, allows the researcher-participants to consider the improvement of teacher and program practices through iterative analysis.  Initial findings indicate instructor eagerness to incorporate many of the virtual summer activities into their in-person science classes during the school year. The study documents the collaborative efforts of the teachers and program coordinators in designing and re-designing daily schedules and activities by leveraging platforms such as WhatsApp, Google docs, email and video-conferencing tools. Additionally, many of the students identified how games, experiments, and learning science vocabulary as enjoyable aspects of the camp, with interest in further understanding how citizen scientists can contribute in making watersheds safe. Data sources of student reflections on the Women in Science Panel, a highlight of the week featuring early career scientists, provide insight to student attitudes and beliefs towards science and the pursuit of STEM related careers. This presentation may appeal to stakeholders in informal science settings as implications for the design of an effective watershed-focused, virtual science camp are discussed.

Abstract:

Getting students to think like a scientist and to see the relevance of learning college level science content continues to be a struggle for instructors of preservice elementary teachers. Many current elementary teachers do not have a strong background in science and are intimidated or do not feel comfortable creating activities to teach the elementary science standards. Most elementary schools require a large amount of dedicated time to teaching literature and very little dedicated time for teaching science. This reinforces the preservice teacher’s view that the amount of required college science content is not necessary for them to become successful classroom teachers. STEM education has been gaining momentum in recent years, but dedicated time for science has not increased in many schools. Teachers have begun to use children’s picture books, that are reinforced with hands-on activities, to incorporate science during the dedicated literacy time. After acquiring a large non-fiction picture book collection through our science education outreach program, I began searching for additional non-fiction picture books that aligned closer to the biology textbook chapters content and vocabulary. I also added a semester long ecology project where student make observations, design experiments, use non-fiction books and resources to obtain background knowledge on the organisms. Participants will be able to observe the set of non-fiction genetics books, obtain copies of the guided reader for the genetics chapters, participate in a Dragon Genetics elementary activity, and view upper-level genetics activities using 3D Molecular Design’s- foam models. They will also be able to view an ecosystem and see the variety of the trade books that are used with the ecosystem project. Participants can ask questions about the format, observe an ecosystem, view the overall daily schedule, and obtain a list of all of the nonfiction books and activities used throughout the semester.

Abstract:

We report on the development of a masters’ level asynchronous online course (AOC) to support pre-service and in-service science teachers’ curricular planning in science education during a summer semester. We designed the course to offer task and module choice and to follow the 5E format as a means of engaging students in an AOC. Students completed 8 different modules that aligned with the NGSS science and engineering practices (SEPs). Six additional modules were offered, with students required to complete the four that most piqued their interest. The optional modules were geared toward one of a few areas that science teachers struggle to implement in their classrooms and followed a 5E structure as well. A benefit of using the same format for all modules was to reduce the cognitive load of navigating the online learning platform. Offering both task and module choice allowed for some personalization, which is known to increase intrinsic motivation.

The major lessons learned while designing the 5E modules were: a) the importance of a consistent module structure to assist with final product expectations over a shortened semester, and b) teachers, like most students, have difficulty incorporating both within module ideas and across course big ideas into final module products.

Based on early observations of teachers’ performance in this course, our recommendations are: a) final products must be created new rather than revised from existing lesson plans, b) directions must be made which explicitly refer to earlier parts of the module to connect each 5E phase to the module evaluation.

The rest of this paper will explore how the professors and teaching assistants identified their lessons learned and arrived at a set of recommendations for an improved 5E designed online course for science teacher education.

Abstract:

Current science education documents in the United States, including A Framework for K-12 Science Education and Next Generation Science Standards, lack disciplinary core ideas about microbiology and infectious disease, which is a concern in light of the current socioscientific issues raised by the ongoing global Covid-19 pandemic. Students could benefit from increased understanding of infectious diseases, disease management, and other important components of health literacy (Kilstadius & Gericke, 2017). The purpose of this mixed-methods research study is to understand high-school biology students’ (N=37) conceptions of the Covid-19 pandemic and infectious disease following a curricular intervention that included the use of an agent-based computer model. Students used the computer model to manipulate variables and test ideas about the effects of vaccination on disease transmission. Following the three-week curriculum, a delayed post-test revealed that students’ had deepened their conceptual understanding of contagion and the Covid-19 pandemic. In a written reflection, students also recorded their thoughts on the nature and purpose of models in science. Interestingly, most students described computer models as useful for testing ideas and making predictions. This is an unusually sophisticated conception of the nature of models in science relative to previous studies (Gogolin & Krüger, 2018; Grosslight, Jay, Unger, & Smith, 1991), suggesting the use of a computer simulation in the context of a pandemic is a productive way to foster students’ understanding of models as generative tools. The study serves as a starting point to identify curricular interventions that facilitate student learning and increase the effectiveness of K-12 instruction on emerging diseases, contagion, vaccination, and other socially relevant topics recommended by experts as important components of health literacy.

Abstract:

Despite increasing demographic diversity in our schools, elementary teachers often feel hesitant to incorporate lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) content into their classrooms because they cannot see the relevance in curriculum for students of young ages. Using a new vignette, we employed case-based learning in elementary preservice science teacher preparation to destigmatize discussions of differing family structures among other LGBTQ+ issues in the classroom. After reading a case in which a boy struggles to complete a genetics and inheritance activity because he grew up with two moms, preservice teachers are able to reflect on the dilemmas faced by the students and teacher in the case. Understanding the environment and unseen biases that can lead to situations of inequity helps the future teachers of science notice their own biases and actively choose to work beyond them as they begin their careers. With the extension of Title IX to explicitly include transgender students, it is more important than ever for preservice teachers to build LGBTQ+ affirming practices and content for their classroom.

Abstract:

The development of career goals happens through a variety of experiences and background factors. Social cognitive career theory (Lent et al., 1994) suggests that learning experiences affect students’ self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and interests as part of the development of career goals. One avenue for these learning experiences is the courses that a student takes throughout their schooling. Taking specific STEM courses in high school is related to choosing a STEM major in college (Gottfried & Bozick, 2016; Sadler et al., 2014), but there is a need to support our understanding of the mechanism that links the two. This study surveyed undergraduate students about their courses and attitudes to determine whether taking certain courses made a difference in self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and interests in STEM.

Abstract:

This is a reflective study of my parallel roles as a veteran science teacher and science methods instructor. My audience is pre-service teacher educators and classroom practitioners who may benefit from my insight about serving in dual roles. As I enter a new phase of scholarship—that of being a doctoral student—I am thinking more critically about how these roles influence each other and shape the work I do. Three perspectives compel me to share my story—being a woman of color, being a teacher in an urban school district, and being an instructor of primarily white pre-service teachers, many of whom take positions in urban districts. In this presentation, I will share my reflective narrative about how my roles are interconnected within an urban education system. I will share how being a member of the African American community, a secondary science teacher, and pre-service teacher educator has challenged me and contributed to my growth. Prior to becoming an educator, I pursued a career in industry which made me an outsider to the world of education. Living in the suburbs caused me to be removed from urban culture. Interacting with students and families in urban schools has helped me reconnect with my cultural roots which had its origin in a segregated urban community. My cultural reconnection now serves as a base of knowledge about urban communities in along with an understanding of how it feels to be disconnected from that community.

Abstract:

The aim of our research was to characterize how teachers taught physics topics in an online environment a year after the pandemic began. The physics education standards—College Board and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS; NGSS Lead States, 2013)—at the college and K-12 level focus on doing the work of scientists as evidenced by the inclusion of the science practices. Though expressed slightly differently, each set of science practices encompass investigating, sensemaking, and critiquing (McNeill, Katsh-Singer, & Pelletier, 2015). We seek to understand the ways teachers engage students in investigations, sensemaking, and critiquing in an online environment.

Abstract:

         This study explores the different approaches taken by teacher leaders to develop STEM programming in their schools.  This research explores the ways in which teacher leadership can be harnessed to drive STEM programming in public urban middle schools.  STEM jobs are growing faster than there are students graduating with these degrees (Vilorio, 2014) and the development of STEM schools might be one way to increase student participation in STEM fields (Franco, Patel, & Lindsey, 2012; Peters-Burton et al., 2014; Thomas, 2000; Young, House, Wang, Singleton, & Klopfenstein, 2011).  Utilizing a teacher leadership model for driving STEM programming is one way to ensure a broader population of students have access to robust inclusive STEM experiences.  This research details how three teacher leadership STEM teams across three urban middle schools approached creating STEM programming.  The different approaches taken by the teams are discussed noting limitations/affordances of the various processes.

Abstract:

According to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) (NGSS Lead States, 2013) and supported in reports from the National Research Council (National Research Council, 2007, 2012) along with statements by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) (National Science Teachers Association, 2018), attention must be focused on an appreciation of science and its basic understanding for K–12 students. Girls, age 3 – 14 years old and regardless of ethnicity foster a negative mind-set towards certain occupations because they sense that these occupations are inappropriate for girls (Hartung, Porfeli, & Vondracek, 2005). Elementary school is the first stage of US formal education where writing, reading and arithmetic foundations are established (Schickedanz, 1999). Because these foundations are established in elementary school, I term this junction to be an educational origin and holding children’s science origin story (S.O.S). Listening to children’s voices on what their needs are and incorporating that into decisions provides for an inclusive education because, like groups from non-dominant backgrounds such as Black, Latin, and Latin-X, children also experience marginalization (Corbett & Slee, 2000). Additionally, Black girls are not provided the liberty of their voices and are often relegated to outsider status within the classroom, lacking power and authority, which results in Black girls being denied a rightful presence in their learning community, their rate of reference to law enforcement is increasing, and their presence in the STEM careers does not reflect their presence nationwide (Dumas & Ross, 2016; Graves, Kaufman, & Frohlich, 2014). Therefore, this ethnographic case study presents a single case focused on a 5^th grade Black girl at an independent school with multiple means of data collection. Sociocultural perspectives aided in recognizing the impact of student’s lived experiences on their science interest, while critical race feminism (CRF) helps to situate social class and liberal versus conservative ideologies in the science classroom.

Abstract:

The Environmental Justice Movement (EJM) has been around for decades, but its influence is not yet reflected in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). The NGSS emphasize human impact on the environment without illuminating the inequitable burden of human impact on the environment on communities along lines of race and socioeconomic status (NRC, 2012). There are countless ways to infuse issues of environmental justice and racism into various science curricula through the interconnecting science and engineering practices, disciplinary core ideas, and crosscutting concepts embedded in the NGSS (Bybee, 2014; NRC, 2015). However, preservice and novice educators, in particular, face uncertainties about how to design and facilitate relevant curricula while navigating a complex political landscape.

In 2021, the contentious debate over teaching critical race theory and the passage of bills designed to restrict how educators design and facilitate student learning experiences related to racism and issues of social justice have intensified confusion over if and how to incorporate concepts like environmental justice into K-12 science classrooms (Pendharkar, 2021) The restrictive laws in various states may limit discussions of racism, a key concept in understanding environmental justice (Pendharkar, 2021). This has led to a growing fear among science educators of perceived indoctrination due to the nature of advocacy within environmental education.

This workshop takes participants beyond understanding what environmental justice is and how to teach it. We invite participants to think deeply about their own why environmental justice. Grounding our work in the why is the first step in navigating tensions and challenges in teaching environmental justice in today’s political climate. Educators do not need to choose between focusing on the why and designing/facilitating an environmental curriculum that is aligned with standards.  

Abstract:

Research articulates the detailed relationship between the self-efficacy of science teachers and their instructional teaching practices, persistence, engagement, and decision making. Thus, improving science teaching efficacy is crucial to improving science teaching of children. Teachers with low science teaching efficacy are less likely to teach science while being more prone to making didactic instructional choices that preclude students from phenomena-based inquiry learning. The relationship between science teaching efficacy and teacher practice is particularly pronounced for elementary teachers who often do not possess content area degrees in the science they are tasked with teaching. Despite that scholarship primarily targets general science teaching efficacy, science teaching efficacy varies by science discipline for elementary teachers. Further, because physical science teaching efficacy measures lower than life science teaching efficacy, elementary teachers often engage in more effective teaching approaches with life science than physical science.

However, little is known about the relationship between discipline-specific levels of subject matter knowledge and science teaching efficacy. This study explores that relationship by examining potential correlations between elementary teacher discipline-specific science teaching efficacy and discipline-specific subject matter knowledge. By understanding the relationships at play, professional development researchers can better scaffold and support increasing science teacher knowledge and/or efficacy in specific targeted scaffolds.

Abstract:

Research Experiences for STEM Educators and Teachers (RESET), a division of the Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP), is designed to provide high school and middle school educators with an authentic summer research experience at participating Army Research Laboratories and Centers. The program serves educators nation-wide while prioritizing those who serve communities with historically underserved/ underrepresented populations. RESET immerses STEM educators in authentic research so that they are equipped to provide students with opportunities to apply STEM concepts within real-world contexts.

The objectives of AEOP RESET are to 1) Empower K-12 STEM educators to incorporate research-based best practices in STEM education; 2) Immerse educators in real-world research at Army research laboratories, while leveraging unique Army resources and the mentorship of world-class Army Scientists & Engineers; 3) Increase educator awareness of and interest in STEM careers across the DoD; 4) Promote collaboration and problem-solving in a team environment; 5) Support educators as they create effective STEM research curricula based on their real-world research experiences; and, 6) Increase students’ awareness and interest in STEM content and in STEM careers in the DoD using authentic real-world context drawn from their teacher’s experiences with research at Army research laboratories.

RESET participants are middle and high school educators interested in real-world research in the STEM fields. Our program includes 3 modules. In the first module, educators work through a 30-hour online professional development geared towards evidence-based classroom practices for doing research with students. In module 2, the summer research experience, RESET educators complete a 4-week (40 hours each week) on-sight or remote internship with Army Scientists and Engineers. During module 3, educators work together to create lessons to use in their classrooms based on their summer research experiences. AEOP RESET pays for all travel and housing expenses as well as a stipend for the educators.

Abstract:

The study aims  to examine how prospective elementary teachers build an understanding of their beliefs about teaching science prior to their student teaching experience and to determine which factors they believe are critical in defining their position as future science teachers. Elementary pre-service teachers’ beliefs about science teaching were examined using philosophy statements submitted as part of reflective practice. The philosophy statements were analyzed using quantitative ethnographic approaches that combine qualitative and quantitative perspectives (Shaffer, 2017). From the qualitative perspective, QE seeks grounded interpretations of data to understand people’s meaning making processes. The quantitative perspective allows for making sense of large data sets through data visualizations showing relationships between codes. Qualitative finding suggests four important themes: Propensity of inquiry,  Practice of research in science teaching and learning, Attention to learners and learning process, Awareness of standards.  The quantitative finding (visual representation)  suggests that pre-service teachers made strongest connections to propensity of inquiry and research practices. This research explains how fundamental elements of a statement of philosophy of PSTs can potentially influence instructional practices. As a reflective activity, it encourages PSTs to focus on their values, beliefs and teaching ideology (Beatty, Leigh, & Dean, 2009).The purpose of this study was twofold. First it gave the PSTs an opportunity to reflect on their values, beliefs and teaching ideology acquired through science methods coursework and practicum. Second, for science methods coursework instructors, it suggests potential areas of strengths and weaknesses of PSTs while they are still in the teacher education program. The findings of the study provide insights into PSTs’ thinking and their future science  teaching practices.Although our findings are preliminary, they will help guide future research on PSTs philosophies for science teaching.

Abstract:

Teacher education requires high quality teacher educators who also engage in academic activities such as publishing and reviewing research. How do doctoral students segue towards positioning themselves as emerging scholars and how do science education journals actively prepare the next set of researchers and reviewers? These challenges are addressed in this study which examines the dyadic interactions between mentor and mentee during the virtual mentoring process of peer review for a science education journal. Guided by the theoretical framework of boundary crossing (Bakker & Akkerman, 2013) and employing the method of self-study (Stenhouse, 1975), the process of peer review mentoring is examined and operationalised. Initial findings identify the mentor-mentee relationship as a coordination of boundary spanners, providing the mentee with a widened perspective to support future scholarly practices. Constructs of trust, mutuality, reciprocity, and knowledge developed and manifested during mentor-mentee interactions are discussed.  Implications for the design of an effective peer review mentoring program may be of interest to graduate students, advisors, peer reviewers, and journal editors.

Abstract:

Graduating from a teacher education program and standing on the cusp of entering your own classroom tends to be both an exciting and fraught time for newly hired teachers. This is true in even the most ideal of circumstances and is exacerbated for teachers entering the profession during the COVID-19 pandemic. NSF-funded Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Programs, like our own, are committed to the education and development of effective and ambitious science teachers. Specifically, our institution’s Noyce Scholarship Program dedicates time, energy, and effort toward supporting our Scholars at the start of their teaching careers through an induction academy, mentoring, and other professional engagement structures, such as professional learning communities (PLC). To this end, in this paper presentation, we will explore the ways in which Noyce Scholars and Teachers (i.e., program graduates who now work as full-time teachers) access and make meaning of the support and learning opportunities afforded to them through a professional learning community. We will present (1) the timeline and details of PLC activities in which Noyce Scholars and Teachers engage as well as (2) additional ways we foster community among Scholars and Teachers, and (3) discuss the ways in which Noyce Scholars and Teachers access and make meaning of these PLC opportunities. Due to the timing of when we accepted our initial cohort of Noyce Scholars (i.e., for the 2019-2020 academic year), influences and implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on our work with Noyce Scholars and Teachers will also be addressed.

Abstract:

Pre-service teacher (PST) educators are challenged with preparing scientifically literate, globally competent teachers, capable of engaging their students in meaningful curricular activities. This study examines two PST educator’s collaboration on a capstone unit plan project designed to increase their students global teaching competencies and their abilities to develop authentic, inquiry-based curriculum.

Project based learning (PBL) is a teaching method whereby students are engaged in an investigation of a complex problem or social challenge. Promising research has indicated that the use of PBL can promote student learning and may be more effective than traditional instruction in core subject areas such as science and social studies, and to a more limited degree in mathematics and literacy (Kingston, 2018). Similar to the PBL teaching and learning frameworks, global competence requires a multifaceted skill set. World Savvy (2021) defines global competence as the knowledge, skills, and behaviors necessary to navigate and succeed in today’s diverse society. A globally competent individual understands and appreciates different perspectives and world views and will responsibly take sustainable actions for the well-being of others (OECD, 2018). In order to support global competencies in their students, globally responsive teachers in turn create opportunities for students to practice empathy, understand and consider multiple perspectives, use critical and comparative thinking, and problem-solve collaboratively (World Savvy, 2021).

Based on the analysis of the projects, the authors concluded that PST’s overall scores were satisfactory or above in all rubric categories. The abilities to produce authentic projects according to the PBLWorks rubric was superior to the other categories. This is significant since an authentic context involves the global competencies of engaging in real-world tasks, tools, and quality standards, making an impact on the world, and/or speaking to students’ personal concerns, interests, or identities.

Abstract:

In light of global climate change and the greater focus on alternative energy sources, understanding energy flow through an ecosystem, particularly photosynthesis and respiration, is essential. Previous studies have reported on conceptual gaps in K-12 students’ understandings of the basic needs of plants (Arkwright, 2014; Cañal, 1999; Hogan & Fisherkeller, 1996; Marmaroti & Galanopoulou, 2006; Wandersee, Mintzes & Arnaudin, 1989). Additional research has illustrated the persistence of common alternative conceptions about carbon cycling in plants specifically related to photosynthesis and respiration at the college level (e.g., Wilson et al., 2006). The purpose of this study was to delve more deeply into a common misconception that emerged in previous studies that plants, particularly trees, would begin to die if they did not have access to light (Arkwright, 2014; Author et al., 2010). Specifically, this study sought to explore energy sources preservice elementary teachers believed were sources of energy for trees and whether trees could live in regions of the world where there is no light for a significant period each year. Trees were used in this study because of their commonness in local ecosystems. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with each participant using a series of pictures portraying deciduous and conifer trees in different seasons. Interview questions probed participants’ ideas about the source of energy for trees, what trees do with this energy (i.e., photosynthetic products and respiration), and from where trees access energy in winter months after shedding their leaves. The findings illustrate how the images created a discrepant event that motivated one student to rethink her prior conceptions about photosynthesis and apply her understanding of fat storage and metabolism in her own body to construct a more scientific explanation to explain how trees survive the winter. The presentation also will illustrate how the pictures elicited rich discussions that revealed preservice teachers thinking about changing energy sources of trees.

Abstract:

STEMinist Academy serves 100% girls of color in grades 6-12, yet the Latina students make up less than 3% of the student population, and that number declines annually. This sequential quant →QUAL, mixed methods study utilized the Parental Engagement of Families from Latino Backgrounds (PEFL) survey and semi-structured interviews to investigate the ways in which Latinx parents engage with their daughters’ STEM learning experiences and the ways in which Latinx parents perceive their role and the school’s role in their daughter’s education. Results from this study will be employed to co-construct a counterspace that will serve as a platform for Latinx families to help create a more inclusive space at STEMinist Academy and leverage their funds of knowledge to inform an inclusive STEM curriculum for Latinx middle school girls.

Abstract:

As educational reform documents press for inquiry-based three-dimensional learning, science education stakeholders often turn to commercial science curricula. These curricula are often very prescriptive, guiding teachers in science instruction while encouraging fidelity to the product. Currently, OpenSciEd is a research-based open-source science curriculum that is freely available for redistribution and modification. This research uses an exploratory case study to investigate decision-making by different stakeholders (i.e., teachers, admin, district representatives) on why they chose to adopt this program and how they intend to support this program moving forward. Researchers found that while cost/resources were a factor for some, all stakeholders valued the adaptability of the materials, focus on equity, and alignment to national standards. Interestingly, each group noted different challenges. Science teachers were concerned about being overwhelmed with new information, pedagogy, and student’s capacity. Principals were apprehensive with teacher evaluation and student testing, and district representatives were concerned about buy-in and longitudinal continuity. This research is significant as it provides insight into how different stakeholders approach adopting and implementing an open-access science curriculum. Additionally, this is part of a more extensive study that will follow the teachers into the school year with additional professional learning opportunities.

Abstract:

The purpose of this study was to determine what criteria public school principals come to consider essential for immersive environments in science education. A small group of principals worked collaboratively with the author to develop a walkthrough matrix that best measures criteria deemed essential for science education (e.g. argumentation, multimodal communication, student agency, etc.). This presentation outlines the methods employed in this research and the iterative development and piloting off the walkthrough matrix. Results of this study indicate that as the principals piloted the walkthrough matrix, they started to experience shifts in their epistemic orientation towards science education. Principals shifted their focus from teacher-to-student action (didactic) to student-to-student interaction (dialogical).  Principals shifted in their feedback regarding classroom observations to become more evaluative (conversational/helpful/promotes development in teacher skills and understandings) in nature with a diminishing focus on fixed assessment (which focuses on what’s missing). Finally, principals shift from a managerial perspective to begin to see themselves as active participants in the classroom, engaged in the curricula, teachers, and students were immersed in the classroom. Evidence of these epistemic shifts are shown in the evolution of the walkthrough matrix and the feedback from both principals and science teachers in the use of the instrument.

Abstract:

Science educators who seek to promote content understanding and socioscientific engagement among their students face substantial obstacles that interfere with their efforts. These obstacles, often amplified by group membership (e.g. political affiliation), derive from sources of pervasive misinformation undermining trust in well-established and developing scientific knowledge. Like many socioscientific issues (SSI), the COVID-19 pandemic represents a context where decision-making and action can significantly increase or decrease deleterious effects to society. This session: a) summarizes research aimed at understanding the complex factors impacting peoples’ engagement of SSI’s; b) presents a nuanced analysis of students’ perceptions of policymakers’ and scientists’ responses under the context of the COVID-19 pandemic; and c) puts forward implications for science educators. Those interested in this session will include SSI and NOS researchers and secondary science teacher educators.

Abstract:

Science methods course designs should provide pre-service teachers with exposure to a variety of instructional models that incorporate best practices in teaching and learning; provide opportunities for teachers to use high-leverage practices; and put students at the center of instruction.  Modeling Instruction is a student-centered, constructivist approach that places students in the role of scientists and builds stronger conceptual understanding through the use of investigations, discourse, and use of the Modeling Cycle (Wells, Hestenes, and Swackhamer, 1995; Hestenes, 2013).  Furthermore, coherent storylines engage students and connect concepts across units; Socratic questioning promotes critical thinking and problem solving; and whiteboards are a key feature for students to display their thinking through multiple representations.

The two-week unit developed for secondary methods courses, and presented in this workshop, is centered around the use of the Modeling Instruction pedagogy.  The unit development incorporated high-leverage teaching practices (TeachingWorks, 2021); it used NSTA’s Standards for Science Teacher Preparation (Morrell et al., 2019); and it includes three-dimensional learning using the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS, Lead States 2013).  The combination of each element led to the formation of an interactive and engaging module that will transform instruction in your methods course and stimulate pre-service teachers thinking about teaching science. 

In this professional development workshop, participants will: 1) participate in student mode while experiencing an abbreviated Modeling Cycle taken from the two-week unit; 2) learn more about the Modeling Instruction pedagogy; 3) learn about the other components embedded within the unit (e.g. high-leverage practices, talk moves); 4) discover the results of piloting the unit and hosting an intensive three-day workshop with university instructors; and 5) leave the session with a copy of the two-week unit and ideas for transforming their methods course.

Abstract:

We conducted a study of experienced teachers’ technology integration to transform their science teaching practices. Data sources included lesson plans prepared and implemented by the teachers, video recordings of classroom instruction, and a focus group interview. Results are summarized in three broad themes to present the levels of technology integration using a joint framework of TPACK and SAMR. Overall, we found

that more than half of teachers who strongly had Technology Knowledge (TK) used technology for the enhancement of traditional methods of teaching. The technologies were used as a visual information presentation tool aimed at visualizing an image, quote, or instructions to students rather than used to support the development of student abilities necessary to perform scientific inquiry. In the other hand, teachers who had connections between Technological Knowledge with Pedagogical Knowledge (TPK), Content Knowledge (TCK), and Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) were  able to integrate technologies for transformation. Moreover, teachers with strongly PCK tended not to create learning opportunities with technology. These teachers used visualized tools to display unseen concept visible to students, and this can be used to motivate students.

Abstract:

This is an action research study to investigate the efficacy of the Conceptual Change Model (CCM) in addressing pre-service elementary teachers’ misconceptions and promoting conceptual understanding of electrostatics. The participants were 24 pre-service elementary teachers enrolled in the elementary physical science course, 20 females and four males.  A qualitative analysis of the open-ended responses showed that 20 pre-service teacher participants (83.33%) replied that writing predictions and explanations before the investigative activity had a positive effect on their conceptual understanding. In terms of their collaborative learning experience, 21 out of the 24 participants (88%) responded that CCM had a positive effect in helping them confront their beliefs about electrostatics. A bivariate correlation analysis was run in SPSS indicated that there is a statistically significant relationship between CCM and building conceptual understanding. The paired-samples t-test done to compare pretest and posttest misconception scores (n=24), showed a statistically significant difference between pretest scores (M=6.25, SD=1.26) and posttest scores (M=8.67, SD=1.52); t(23)=-6.45, p <.001. The findings provide evidence in support of the effectiveness of the CCM in promoting conceptual understanding of electrostatics among pre-service teachers enrolled in the elementary physical science course. The authors posit that CCM can be used to address issues of misconceptions and conceptual understanding in science education. A major implication of this study is its contribution to the research literature on the conduction of action research studies aimed at addressing pre-service teachers’ misconceptions. The expectation is that science educators will conduct future studies that will add to the literature on the efficacy of CCM in promoting conceptual understanding of other topics in physical science.

Keywords: Conceptual Change Model, Conceptual Understanding, Misconceptions, Pre-service elementary teachers, Action research

Abstract:

Student achievement in literacy and mathematics are typically prioritized by school boards and policy makers. However, the associations between student achievement in science and mathematics, with science and reading associations almost as strong. This presentation offers a view of STEM education as a means of enhancing literacy and numeracy education rather than as a content area that draws time away from these two areas that policy makers have deemed most essential. Additionally, we argue that STEM can also be seen as an avenue for teaching science as well as literacy and numeracy. The multidisciplinary nature of STEM naturally aligns with the overlap between disciplines such as a science and mathematics to enhance both the specific and general skills and understanding associated with both disciplines. Although some researchers have examined literacy in the context of science or STEM (e.g., Kim et al., 2021; Pearson et al., 2010), most work situates science as being strengthened by a focus on literacy (e.g., National Research Council, 2014) or language focused science instruction to support English Language Learners (e.g., Buxton & Allexsaht-Snider, 2017; Rankin et al., 2015). We propose a renewed focus on a reversed conceptualization where science and STEM learning experiences can be a springboard to enhanced development of literacy skills. Drawing on the affordances of multimodalities, literacy skills can be simultaneously developed while STEM concepts are explored, strengthening both communication skills and STEM understanding. Science teachers and educators as well as policy makers will be drawn to this presentation as anyone looking for evidence to support a persuasive argument for increased attention on science and STEM education. ASTE members who are researchers and grant writers, science teacher educators, science teachers, education policy makers, and school district coordinators and program specialists are likely to leave the presentation with new ideas about why and how to justify time and funding for science and STEM education.

Abstract:

We have recently completed the first year of a five-year grant-funded research study intended to develop our understanding of teacher preparation for culturally responsive science teaching in high-need schools. In this roundtable, we are hoping to inspire discussion concerning what we believe is an unusual, if not unique, role we created for this research study: that of the Research Team Teacher (RTT). In this research project, RTTs and teacher educators are working together to develop research-based understandings of the preparation of culturally responsive science teachers for varied classroom contexts. Our overarching goal for working with RTTs in this study is to enrich and ground the study by ensuring that teachers are fully involved in the research procedures, analyses, and findings throughout the project. Unlike teacher research or action research, our research project involves teachers as researchers outside of their own classrooms and schools, as they, in partnership with experienced researchers, collect and analyze data based in educational contexts that are not their own. We will introduce participants at this roundtable to our theory-based rationale for creating the role of RTTs as teacher co-researchers for the study, and our learning about the successes, surprises, and challenges of working with teachers in this new role. The paper presented at this roundtable will be a descriptive piece documenting and exploring the development of the evolving role of the RTTs in this effort. In particular, we focus on the question: How is the Research Team Teacher role in a collaborative research study developing and evolving over the first year of a large-scale, five-year research study? We will also provide questions for discussion that have arisen in our work with the RTTs, and encourage discussion about our efforts to authentically include our teachers colleagues in large scale research projects

Abstract:

Discoveries in Earth Science (DES) is a science enrichment program for students with Blind or Visual Impairments (BVI). Participants report on their perception of the use of assistive and supportive technologies to conduct earth science investigations at the K-12 level.

Abstract:

District Science Coordinators (DSCs) play an important role by supporting the learning of their teachers. As they work with teachers, DSCs guide the development of their teachers’ beliefs, knowledge, mindset, and instructional practices. These are essential areas when it comes to creating equitable learning environments for all students. Despite the important role DSCs hold in their districts, few studies have investigated how they leverage their positions to promote equity. To address this question, we followed 12 DSCs engaged in a professional development program to promote the equitable use of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). We surveyed the DSCs on their equity positions and analyzed their responses to prompts asking them to address potential equity-related issues. Additionally, the DSCs engaged in the professional development program completed strategic plans that were analyzed to identify how they prioritized equity and what strategies they utilized to promote equity within their districts.

Abstract:

“Seminar on Secondary Science Education” was meaningfully designed to expose preservice secondary science teachers to the nature of science, the major philosophical and historical developments of science, and their implications on the science classroom. In addition, the course looks at how the history of science provides insight into the nature of science and the science classroom of today. Student conceptions are measured before and after with the VNOS-C questionnaire (Lederman et al, 2002), which uses open-ended questions to elucidate nature of science understandings. The first required course reading, History of Ideas on Science Education (DeBoer, 1991), guides students through the evolution of school science in the United States, which allows students to better understand why and how science has been taught over the past two centuries and reflect on their own beliefs. The second course text, A Short History of Nearly Everything (Bryson, 2003), describes the origins of science from a historical perspective, implicitly emphasizing the nature of science. Weekly, students reflect on these readings by answering open-ended questions and explicitly connecting their responses to the nature of science. Four major assignments allow students to meet the course objectives. Students first choose a female scientist who is not well known for her accomplishments, write a research paper, and present to their peers to educate them about this little-known science heroine. Secondly, students select a historically problematic issue in the science community and in pairs, write and perform a script depicting the significant figures surrounding the controversy. Next, students interview a person who is not typically viewed as a scientist to reflect on the science-oriented aspects of their life. The culminating assignment is a research paper on the evolution of a scientific discovery, including the social and political context that may have impacted its development. For all assignments, students reflect on the aligned nature of science and content benchmarks (NGSS Lead States, 2013).

Abstract:

Teachers face unique challenges when developing project-based units about environmental issues that leverage local problems and resources while also including the global dimensions of the issue. Use of high-quality curricular materials can facilitate teachers in addressing these challenges while supporting both student and teacher learning. However, designing for science curricular materials that honor the expertise of students, teachers, and communities to solve global-local problems requires applying existing theory and research to support both student and teaching learning. This presentation outlines design principles, provides connections to the theory and research for these principles, and includes exemplar applications of these principles. The design principles will be used in a design-based research project to create and study a project-based unit for investigating water resources in grades 4-8.  Connecting multiple lines of research in educative curricular materials, project-based design, environmental education, and culturally sustaining pedagogy into a cohesive design framework, this work extends the research on supporting student and teacher learning through curriculum materials. This project has implications for educational researchers, curriculum developers, and teacher educators who seek to support teacher and student learning through project-based curriculum materials focused on local-global problems.

Abstract:

The global COVID-19 pandemic has impacted teaching and learning in preservice teacher education in substantial ways, with learners’ needs intensifying. The shift to emergency remote or hybrid instruction for college courses and K-12 school field placements presented more complexity for preservice teachers to navigate in their roles as learners themselves and as teachers working with young learners.  The inequities and pressures exacerbated by the pandemic further increased the importance of a pedagogy of care and empathy (Bozkurt et al., 2020). Under these circumstances, we selected a Compassionate Teaching framework (Hart & Hodson, 2019) for two sections of a K-3 science methods course taught August to December of 2020. The key components of compassionate teaching included: safety, access, consistency/ predictability, flexibility, and empowerment of learners. We leveraged this teaching innovation to address Maslow’s (1970) hierarchy of needs. This presentation will share our teaching innovation of compassionate teaching and its connection to ambitious science teaching practices, with an evaluation of 48 of 53 preservice teachers (PSTs) enrolled in the course. We modeled Compassionate Teaching (through consistent use of an essential agreement and small groups, sentence stems for argumentation; nonviolent communication technique; flexibility; limited choice in class activities and assignments; picture book read alouds, videos, and reasoning about socioscientific issues related to perspective taking. Findings include that PSTs overwhelmingly considered compassionate teaching to be an essential aspect of their teaching. They increasingly considered children’s varied perspectives and the importance of promoting children’s ability to consider others’ perspectives. 

Abstract:

In this study, the author analyzed the texts on the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS; Achieve, 2013) and identified several constructs described on the Cross-cutting Concepts (CCCs) and the Performance Expectations related to them. Those constructs identified can represent the STEM Integration and support the reality of Interdisciplinary STEM Education.

Identifying the interdisciplinary bridge helps us develop the planned STEM Education and teachers can prepare for it effectively. The CCCs may have a specific role around the bridge. Not many studies had done around the role, but they identified several metaphors represents the role of CCCs such as lens, bridges, tools, rules of a game (Rivets et al. 2016). As they pointed, such metaphors still are metaphors. We need a specific application for the students’ learning. Before designing the empirical study, however, we also need a possible framework that can describe students’ learning on it. The lines on the NGSS can describe the authors’ expectations for learning on CCCs in the science and engineering area and they might be a possible framework looking at the students learning, although the alignment with the students’ learning progressions had not examined (NGSS, p. xvii).

In the lines of CCCs standards, such constructs as Observation, Analysis, Understanding, Explanation, Application, and Investigation were found. In general, we can identify those constructs as “process” (AAAS, 1963) as we have known. The quantitative analyses also indicated the placement of such construct among CCCs. Therefore, those constructs are closely associated with specific CCC and we can assume their appearance on the students practices.

Abstract:

Leaders in science education research promote science as an integral component of the elementary school curriculum, since it is within the formative years that substantial exposure to scientific concepts and processes is critical to students’ later achievements and the development of confidence to participate further in science (e.g., National Science Foundation, 1999). Yet, many consider the elementary grades to be the weak link in science education (e.g., Gardner & Cochran, 1993), and literature suggests that many elementary teachers do not feel they have the necessary content expertise to teach science (e.g., Kind, 2009).

Teacher education programs must prepare elementary generalist preservice teachers in all science disciplines, yet requiring preservice teachers to take numerous science content courses is often not an option. An alternative approach is providing instruction and evaluation of science concepts within science methods courses. According to Bulunz and Jarrett (2009), "Science methods course instructors should not assume that their students understand basic concepts they will be required to teach in elementary school” (p. 283).  To prevent misconceptions from being taught to elementary children, there is value in identifying and addressing preservice teachers’ misconceptions within science methods courses. Yet, this task is not easily accomplished without access to valid assessments aligned to the standards for which the preservice teachers are held accountable.

This quantitative study explored findings from an elementary science methods course that incorporated a specifically-designed science content exam that addressed the state adopted K-12 student and elementary preservice teacher science standards and competencies. Data were collected from 315 elementary preservice teachers through a pre- and post-methods course science content exam instrument. Preliminary results indicate varying levels of item difficulties and discrimination for exam item competency subscales and provide essential information for further item analysis and editing.

Abstract:

District Science Coordinators (DSC) are leaders in their districts, which requires that they play an essential role in supporting science teachers, and they played a unique role during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of our study is to understand how DSCs lead their districts to support teachers during the pandemic. This study uses the framework Reflection-Growth (RG) model of instructional leadership to understand and support the development of the DSCs. This study provided an initial analysis of the data regarding the DSCs collected during the 2020-2021 academic year, as part of a four-year NSF-funded research project-SCAFFOLD. Seventeen DSCs from 14 school districts participated in this study from 2020 to 2021. This study followed a mixed method design. Data was collected by survey and an interview. In the analysis of the quantitative data, we used inferential statistics to see the trends among the DSCs’ responses frequencies for each type of activity. Qualitative data was analyzed through thematic analysis. From the surveys, we identified distinctive groups of activities in which DSCs engaged (or not). In the first group are those activities that all DSCs have engaged either during the last 12 or 24 months, like holding a leadership role in their district, holding an informal position in terms of decision-making or providing PD at the school district level, among others. In the second group were those activities in which a significant portion of DSCs (over 50%) have not engaged in the last 2 years, like providing PD to K-12 teachers at the national level (73.68%), being a member of a political education organization (57.89%), publishing an article, (84.21 %) among others. Based on our thematic analysis from the post-interviews, we identified three main areas covered by DSC during the last year: personal growth, supporting teachers, and administrative duties. Discussion and contribution of these findings are provided.

Abstract:

Effective science teaching requires that preservice teachers notice and attend to students’ everyday cultural and community knowledge to support students’ sense-making of canonical science ideas. This design-based study investigated preservice teachers’ (PSTs) understandings of elementary students’ explanations of scientific phenomena, and the discursive moves teacher educators can enact to expand PSTs’ noticings and interpretations. Data sources included classroom observations and participant interviews. Findings indicate that the tandem nature of providing guided focus and employing expanded discursive moves supported PSTs’ recognition of and attention to students’ non-normative ideas.

Abstract:

Using primary sources in science instruction allows teachers to address the historical and social aspects of science education. However, the use of primary sources is rarely, if ever, covered in science education preparatory programs. Even programs for preservice elementary teachers, which often incorporate primary sources as a facet of social studies instruction, rarely apply them to science. This session reports on the results of a professional development session and research study which aimed to address this gap by providing science teachers with the skills and knowledge to find, evaluate, and incorporate content and grade level appropriate primary source materials into lesson plans and content modules. Participants completed a two-day, in-person professional development session focused on finding and evaluating primary source materials related to science instruction and using strategies for incorporating those sources in a way that helps students build their science content knowledge and their understandings of the history and nature of science. Survey results show that participants came to the session with a degree of false confidence in their ability to work with primary sources. Teachers reported significant improvement in their attitudes toward using primary sources in science instruction and confidence in their ability to do so. Teachers also reporting feeling that working with primary source materials would not only be to the benefit of their students, but that planning with primary sources strengthened their own science content knowledge.

Abstract:

This research study investigates the impacts of explicit and context embedded Nature of Science [NOS] instruction during an online Masters-level NOS course on science teachers' understandings of NOS, their potential for science and science teacher identity development, and their instructional goals and practices. The course was taught during the COVID-19 pandemic and encouraged the teachers to consider how NOS may facilitate students’ understandings of the pandemic as a relevant socio-scientific issue. 

This exploratory study took place in the context of an 8-week, online, masters level NOS class. The participants were instructed on the consensus view of NOS. Along with explicit instruction of NOS, participants also received instruction on the implementation of NOS in the secondary science classroom, including how to best incorporate NOS in lessons explicitly and reflectively, as well as how to assess students’ NOS understandings.

Participants demonstrated increased understandings of NOS concepts through targeted instruction during a global pandemic. Not only did they gain a deeper understanding of the importance of explicit NOS instruction on students’ scientific literacy, conceptions of science and scientists, they were also able to conceptualize the role of NOS in students’ engagement in science. Although participants came from very different backgrounds in science, they were, in many ways, at the same place in terms of NOS instruction at the end of this course. While each participant designed unique explicit-reflective NOS lessons, they showed similar struggles with implementation. In future sections of NOS courses, we suggest emphasizing that mastery and implementation of NOS teaching in science classrooms. Even highly informed views of NOS and strong science teacher identities will not translate into effective NOS teaching without continued practice. We hope to revisit these participants in future years to track their progress in implementing NOS in their classrooms. 

Abstract:

School closures in our state related to Covid-19 forced us to dramatically shift all in-person field placements to virtual alternatives using the Zoom conferencing platform. The field experience for our program’s introductory course, Explorations in Mathematics and Science Teaching historically took place in a local after school program. When this was no longer an option, we re-imagined the experience as a virtual STEM club which allowed both students and Preservice Teachers (PSTs) to transcend limitations of geography and Covid-19 safety measures to come together around integrated STEM learning activities in a weekly, hour long interactive STEM club. Our presentation will describe how we organized and implemented a virtual STEM club, as well as share examples of STEM lessons, student artifacts, and insights gained by our program faculty along the way, after implementing this model over two semesters with three classes of PSTs. We will share our process of recruiting K-5th grade students from across our state, how we organized communication with families, the logistics of the Zoom virtual STEM club meetings, the use of peer mentors to successfully create a STEM learning community among our PSTs allowing them to confidently be prepared for each week’s lessons, and our methods for comparing the efficacy of the virtual STEM club to our traditional in-person model for the introductory field experience. Although this virtual STEM club was initially conceived as an emergency measure to adapt to pandemic teaching, we have discovered affordances to this type of out of school educational experience that transcend our immediate needs of the moment, and inform our thinking as we consider future offerings of our program’s teacher education experiences. Most notably, we will address our own changes in thinking about the possibilities for virtual afterschool content-based clubs as a way for students to overcome barriers related to distance, health concerns, or other circumstances that might prevent in-person participation to create a community of enthusiastic learners.

Abstract:

As we venture deeper into the digital age, the need to integrate technology into the classroom is becoming more imperative to the future successes of our K-12 students. However, simply buying an iPad and turning it on hardly counts as integrating technology into the classroom. Professional developments (PD) and technology workshops are ineffective when applying a one size fits all approach as they do not address the individual needs and interests of the teachers. By exploring the definition of technology provided by 40 in-service and 6 preservice teachers (PST), we identified preconceptions of technology teachers held prior to attending the technology PD. We also investigate the teachers’ descriptions of current use of technology in the classroom and their future goals of technology implementation. We find that teachers define technology as a tangible item (tool), an intangible thing (process or method), or a vague catchall (anything). The use of technology in the classroom varies by grade level. Robotics and coding are most popular among the elementary teachers, middle school teachers preferred computers, high school teachers used simulations, and presentation tools were most common among PSTs. When teachers were asked about future uses, some teachers remained technocentric while others expressed interest in personal development (building confidence) and student learning strategies (autonomous learning). By considering the preconceived definitions and uses of technology prior to a workshop, PD’s can better support teachers in their conceptual change in what it means to integrate technology intentionally and successfully into the STEM classroom.

Abstract:

In this presentation I intend to discuss the key components I have incorporated into an introductory undergraduate environmental science course for nonscience majors, including elementary pre-service teachers, as well as the impact of such components on the participants’ views toward science, understanding of scientific concepts and environmental issues, and attitudes toward environmental issues. Science and technology impact almost all aspects of our global society and are themselves reciprocally shaped and driven by the political, cultural, economical, and various other dimensions of this global society. This begins with enhancing the scientific and environmental literacy of future teachers who will impact their future K-12 students as well as enhancing the undergraduate science experience of a wide array of non-science majors who will eventually utilize their scientific and environmental literacy in their future lives and careers. This presentation will be of interest to college science educators, environmental educators, and teacher educators as well as those engaged in research in these fields.  

Abstract:

A Framework for K-12 Science Education (National Research Council, 2012) and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS Lead States, 2013) advocate for the importance of scientific sensemaking through science practices to figure out the natural world (Schwarz et al., 2017). Making these rigorous science learning spaces equitable involves teachers recognizing and leveraging multilingual students’ multiple ways of knowing as a resource for scientific sensemaking (Bang et al., 2017). To accommodate this shift in science education, teacher education programs have to revise, replace or reform aspects of their program (Bybee, 2014) to ensure a clear understanding of these shifts in relation to the growing population of multilingual students in US schools. However, the ethnic, linguistic, and cultural differences between the teacher population, which is majority white, middle-class, and English-speaking (National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Mathematics, 2016) and the multilingual student population can present challenges in relating to these students. Although the solution often utilized by schools, districts, and the teacher education community to address this issue is recruiting individuals from minoritized backgrounds to teacher preparation programs (Villegas & Irvine, 2010), this approach does not address the difference in how teachers and preservice teachers, regardless of their backgrounds, have experienced science that does not align with reform-oriented science education. In this case study, the experience of an elementary multilingual Latina preservice teacher in an elementary science methods course was examined. through classroom artifacts and a post-study interview. The data was transcribed and analyzed using open-coding. Meaningful categories were created that informed emergent themes. Findings suggest a tension between student and preservice teacher roles regarding scientific sensemaking. Implications for research and practice are further discussed in the paper presentation.

Abstract:

During a global pandemic, Dr. Fauci, director of the United States National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, suggested that school districts “should find ways to offer as many outdoor activities as possible, from classes to recess and lunchtime. …Get as much outdoors as you can” (Associated Press, 2020, para. 1 & 3). Thus, an emergence of outdoor nature-based environments in public/private school settings increased across the nation. A question then emerged regarding how personnel from public/private school could plan for and construct purposeful outdoor, nature-based, science learning, play areas. Acar (2014), Keeler (2015) and Loebach (2004) have reported on purposeful outdoor play area design; however, little research exists for U.S.-based settings. Analyzed qualitative data from nine visits (6 in-person; 3 virtual) and planning documents will showcase the rationale for and construction of different Play Zones and affordances from an informal learning forest and arboretum site. Preliminary analysis of pre-service elementary science methods students’ (n=14) reflections from site exploration will be provided. Analyzed data of Play Zone construction and its use will provide background information and guidance to construct outdoor nature-based purposeful learning and play areas for science instruction.

Abstract:

We analyzed how much democratic citizen literacy is included in the energy topic from K to 12 science textbooks. The future democratic citizen literacy analyzing frame was developed on the basis of theories reviewed and practices experienced by the researchers and it was finalized with the 8 categories; critical thinking, communication and collaboration, information management, sympathy, social responsibility, STS, self-direction, and decision making. The ‘energy part’ from the current elementary, middle and high school science textbooks were analyzed to show how much democratic citizen literacy was included, and the results showed the followings; (1) the component of sympathy and social accountability were quite less included, whereas critical thinking, communication and collaboration, and information management were dominantly included. (2) Decision-making, self-direction, the understandings of the relationship among STS, and social responsibility were appeared but their frequencies were significantly low. The results concluded that we could analyze from textbooks and include into textbooks, if necessary, the component of democratic citizen literacy, which is one of essential competencies in the 21st century. The researchers developed the energy-theme STEAM books for the citizen as well as students at schools with the following six topics of energy (nuclear, wind, thermal, solar, hydrogen, and biomass energy) important in Korea with the aim of cultivating democratic citizen literacy on the basis of citizen literacy guideline. The results implied that the textbook writers and science curriculum policy makers need to consider including the part of democratic citizen literacy so that we can equip citizen as well as students with competencies to be ‘act’ as citizen scientists.

Abstract:

With the question of how to best prepare novice science teachers for the classroom comes an equally important question of how to best prepare novice science teacher educators, an essential area of study. Goodwin and Kosnik (2013) have proposed a framework that highlights five domains of knowledge novice teacher educators should develop as they hone their craft. To advance our understanding in this area we examine the research questions: How can novice science teacher educators be better prepared to promote quality teaching? Building off of Goodwin and Kosnik’s (2013) framework, we developed a multi-tiered mentoring approach that was implemented over the course of one semester in a Student Teaching in Science Education course. Our multi-tiered approach consisted of the university professor leading the course, supervisors overseeing groups of student teachers, cooperating teachers partnering with student teachers in classrooms, and the coaches, who served as near-peer mentors. With the collaboration of this group, we created a system called coaches corners where near-peer mentors, or coaches, who are aspiring teacher educators, delivered mini-lessons to student teachers in small groups, covering topics such as enhancing their lesson planning and building classroom teaching strategies. This paper represents our self-study as coaches, reflecting on the multi-tiered mentorship program through the lens of novice teacher educators. Overall, the purpose of our self-study was to understand how mentoring practices serve as a type of student teaching experience for student teachers educators. Analysis of our reflections, notes, and discussions provided insight into our experience as novice teacher educators, ultimately yielding three preliminary findings: the benefits of gaining on-the-ground perspectives, the importance of refining the teacher educator skillset, and the power of collaboration.

Abstract:

The vision for elementary students in science requires that students learn a small number of core ideas while “engaging in practice of inquiry and the discourse by which such ideas are developed and refined” (National Research Council, 2012, p.  218).  Misunderstanding this vision as schools attempt to integrate science and literacy can actually result in reading about science taking the place of actually doing science (Cervetti & Pearson, 2012).   Even though “reading, interpreting, and producing text are fundamental practices of science in particular, and the constitute at least half of engineers’ and scientists’ total working time” (NRC, 2011, p. 3-19), simply reading about science is not fulfilling the vision of science education and alone will not help children understand difficult concepts. An additional barrier to teaching science is that many elementary teachers indicate they do not have time to teach science and recent studies show that, because of the time constraints, as well as the siloed view of teaching core subject, science and social studies are taught less and less during the elementary years (Fitchett, Heafner & Lambert, 2014).  Through intentional integration of reading into science units and instructional sequences, teachers can not only free up time to teach science and promote deeper learning in both reading and science (Cervetti, Barber, Dorph, Pearson, & Goldschmidt, 2012) but also increase their students’ motivation to read informational text as they must read in order to solve meaningful, authentic problems. This presentation will detail the process of one intermediate school (grades 3-5) implementing embedding compelling and worthy reading into interdisciplinary (STEM and literacy) projects, through the lens of creating and implementing a 5th grade project to investigate one of the highest roadway mortality rates for barn owls right in their own backyard and what to do about it. 

Abstract:

The shift in teaching to online and hybrid platforms has made it imperative to modify pedagogical strategies by including technological tools that have emerged. Students are more prone to use devices and electronic mediums to communicate and make discussions these days. Incorporating formative assessment and helping students participate in science discourse and argumentation within these technology platforms has been a challenge for teachers, and research remains to be done on what type of technology tools teachers are using during Covid-19 pandemic in their virtual and hybrid classrooms. Consequently, it is necessary to understand how teachers are utilizing technology tools to incorporate formative assessment, science discourse and argumentation both in their online and hybrid classrooms. This presentation seeks to understand how a middle school science teacher incorporated formative assessment and argumentation into her online and hybrid classroom. Specifically, it examines the use of technology tools and the ways she explored using those technology tools to facilitate formative assessment and science discourse and argumentation. Implications of the technology tools in middle school science classrooms will be discussed.

Abstract:

This presentation will describe a model for building a common knowledge base among stakeholders and developing a university–based community with a common vision for improving secondary science teacher preparation. The model is being used at three unique university sites where stakeholders invested in the success of preservice science teachers –science education faculty, science disciplinary faculty, and mentor teachers –are working together to design and enact changes in their individual programs to enhance the effectiveness and coherence of their preservice science teacher education programs. Each university team developed acommon vision, language, and purpose using a foundational conceptual framework proven to be effective at improving science teaching and learning in both in–service and preservice settings. This conceptual framework involves two sets of strategies that educators can use to reveal and challenge student thinking and support students in developing strong, coherent connections to science concepts. Each university team considered how they might use what they learned to enhance their own classroom practice, but also support their preservice teachers’ learning and classroom practices. A core feature of this model involves supporting equity in the role and participation of all stakeholders, thus enabling stakeholders to adopt different roles, such as involving mentor teachers in co–designing and co–teaching university courses with university faculty. Faculty and mentor teachers from each team will discuss their university’s unique context, the problems of practices they sought to address through revisions to their preservice teacher preparation program, and the lessons learned from the process of working together to realizing their vision. At the conclusion of the presentations, the discussant will highlight themes across the papers and invite conversation among the audience to consider how this community–driven model for enacting teacher education reform might translate to their own institutional settings.

Abstract:

Approximately 7.3 million students receive special education services in the United States with the majority of those being served in an inclusive setting (National Center for Education Statistics, 2021; U.S. Department of Education, 2020). In order to determine what resources and professional learning opportunities are needed in the field for science teachers working with students with disabilities, we need to to understand what is currently available. The purpose of this study was to explore high school science teachers’ experiences with and access to professional supports in teaching students with disabilities in an inclusive environment. Science teachers, through their experiences, develop their pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) specific to teaching science such as which topics are difficult for students, common misconceptions, strategies best used to teach certain topics and more. When it comes to teaching students with disabilities, even teachers that have developed their science PCK will find challenges that they need to overcome because now they have students with additional and unique deficits that they will need to accommodate and support. Just like science PCK, through experience, teachers may develop science PCK specific to teaching students with disabilities as they learn what strategies work best for the different disabilities they come across in their classrooms. This study explored the professional learning, resources, and other supports science teachers working with students with disabilities have had access to that may have contributed to the development of their PCK specific to teaching science to students with disabilities. The interviews helped identify what professional learning, resources, and other supports science teachers working with students with disabilities have experience and/or have had access to and what potential supports should be considered such as collaboration among science and special educators or informal mentorship to support the development of this specific PCK.

Abstract:

University supervisors are an important part of preservice teachers’ field experiences, providing a crucial link between teacher preparation coursework and the field.  However, little is known about how supervisors’ science backgrounds and identity as science teacher educators impact the degree of coherence between methods course instructors’ and field supervisors’ messages about science teaching to secondary science student teachers.  In our project, we used a multiple case study approach at two Universities, one in northern and one in southern California with different expectations for secondary science supervisor selection and preparation, but similar approaches in the science methods courses, to explore answers to the following questions: 1) How do supervisors view their role as supervisors of preservice secondary science teachers and as science teacher educators?;  2) How might a set of tools for NGSS instruction already used in the science methods courses be used as a bridge between coursework and field supervision?; 3) How might the level of a supervisor’s background knowledge in science and/or NGSS affect how supervisors view their role of science teacher educators and how they use the tools to facilitate conversations about science and/or NGSS with preservice secondary science teachers in the field?  Participating supervisors varied greatly in their amount of science teaching experience and experience with NGSS, both of which connected to the ways that they viewed their role as a science teacher educator and how they used the NGSS tools with their supervisees during formal observations and debriefs. This work provides important insights into how university supervisors perceive their roles as part of the science teacher educator team and how their backgrounds and training inform their supervision. We provide insight into how a toolkit used across the methods course and supervision can be used to help create a shared vision of science teaching, and how this can be impacted (or limited) by the perceptions and backgrounds of supervisors.

Abstract:

Preschool children are often infatuated with dinosaurs, and several dinosaur-based curricula have been developed. What is less well-known about preschoolers’ understanding of dinosaurs concerns their understandings of deep time and extinction. The present study attempts to fill this gap by investigating young children’s understandings of deep time, extinction, and paleontological inferences during a one-week S.T.E.A.M. camp about dinosaurs. The sample included 39 children aged three through nine enrolled in three sections of a camp entitled, “Dino-Stories.” Data collection included pre- and post-tests and daily work addressing deep time, succession, duration extinction, paleontological evidence, and the tentative nature of paleontology. Data analysis entailed coding and scoring children’s work to identify understandings consistent with instruction and reasons for responses. The main findings include that older children had more sophisticated understandings of deep time, succession, and the tentative nature of paleontology. Very little change occurred between pre- and post-instruction. The youngest children showed the most growth in their understandings of extinction and paleontological evidence, while older children made larger gains in their understandings of duration and succession. The oldest children’s conceptions of birds as living dinosaurs framed how they interpreted simpler questions about extinction. Implications for early childhood education and future research are presented.

Abstract:

As classroom populations have become more diverse, teaching populations, including our institution’s own, are overwhelmingly White and female. Simultaneously, we prepare teacher candidates (TCs) at the same university to teach science equitably to diverse students. In this study, the authors detail the revamping of the elementary science methods course to prepare elementary TCs to work with students from diverse backgrounds. One hundred and forty-three elementary science teacher candidates participated in this study from fall 2019 to spring 2021. This action research study answers the research question: How do elementary teacher candidates’ beliefs about equitable science teaching change from the beginning to the end of a revamped science methods course? To answer this question, we analyzed TC’s science teaching philosophy statements from the beginning and the end of the semester-long science methods course. We were able to see a shift in TCs’ thinking about equitable science instruction across their science teaching philosophy statements, especially regarding aspects of culturally responsive teaching and ambitious science teaching.  

Abstract:

The Science-Technology-Society (STS) framework has been touted as an effective and successful approach to teaching science in a relevant and socially contextualized manner. In an STS-based curriculum, the focus of instruction is on real-world connections between the classroom and society by allowing learners the opportunity to explore STS issues which are contentious societal issues that are interlinked with science and technology. The STS instructional framework has been shown to be a motivating and thought-provoking approach to science instruction with numerous benefits for K-12 students. Previous studies have indicated that teachers may lack comfort with STS-based curriculum due to a lack of adequate training or their beliefs may not be aligned with the STS-based framework, or they may hold negative attitudes toward science which individually or collectively may be part of the explanation for the absence of such instructional approach in the classrooms. Teachers´ own beliefs often obstruct the efficient implementation of STS issues. It is critical to provide teachers with appropriate preparation and education to understand and be able to apply an STS-based instructional approach in their future classrooms. This presentation will focus on a review of literature that the authors have undertaken to gather and synthesize research studies focusing on preservice and in-service elementary and secondary teachers’ STS-related beliefs, knowledge, skills, and practices as well as STS-focused preparation during teacher education programs. The conclusion of the review will also aim to indicate disparities still present in the growing body of STS research and suggest future directions for research and practice. This study will be of major interest and relevance to ASTE participants including U.S. and international science educators and researchers interested in issues related to teacher education and the STS framework for teacher preparation and professional development.

Abstract:

This study examined themes of transition from pre-professional to professional status for six National Science Foundation Robert Noyce Scholars enrolled in a Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Education Program. An instrumental deductive coding framework was utilized to analyze study data pertaining to Scholar professional self-efficacy. Professional transition themes were observed to varying degrees in the pre and post essays for all the Noyce Scholars engaged in this study.  Findings from this study included confirmation of the perception of professional growth among the Scholars, particularly themes pertaining to teacher self-confidence and professional knowledge.  In addition to documenting the effects of the program on Scholars’ perceptions, the study serves as a potential gateway to more extensive research on teacher self-efficacy of STEM preservice teacher development.

Abstract:

In this presentation, we will present the findings from a self-study of three science teacher educators who collaborated in the planning and teaching of a secondary science methods course. These three instructors, all from unique backgrounds and experiences, met regularly, recorded those meetings, and reflected on both the meetings themselves and the co-teaching experience. Results of the self-study documented the refinement of the curriculum based on disciplinary expertise, an increased emphasis on the overlap between content and practice, professional community building within science teacher education, and individual growth as educators. In addition to the perceived success of the collaboration, challenges and recommendations for other science teacher educators who want to co-teach methods courses will be discuss. We will close with a discussion of the merits of self-study in science teacher education.

Abstract:

Teacher leadership has been described as an important role in the implementation of educational reform. However, both in research and practice, definitions of science teacher leadership varies, making designing for their professional learning a challenge. In this paper, we leverage social practice theory to define and identify aspects of science teacher leadership in practice from those that are currently serving in that role. Across different science teacher leadership positions across the state, leaders defined their practice as working with science teachers to enact their shared vision of reform. They described their work as in service to, rather than as evaluative of teachers. Our analysis found that the organization of science teacher leadership varied and that a key difference in how science teacher leadership gets defined in practice depends on how much time a teacher leader has to support other teachers. Those science teacher leaders that did not also have classroom teaching commitments defined their work more as partnering with teachers to develop resources. Whereas, leaders who spent more time in the classroom with students focused more on resource distribution to the teachers they support. This study demonstrates the need for localized theories of learning and development for science teacher leaders.

Abstract:

Worldwide, there is growing interest in research, education, and discourse around the Food-Energy-Water Nexus, which serves as a framework to address complex human-natural systems that are intertwined with global climate change. The National Collaborative for Food, Energy, and Water Education (NC-FEW) is a transdisciplinary community of educators and educational researchers from STEM and food, agriculture, natural resources, and the human sciences fields. This exploratory session will focus on the “food” connection in NC-FEW; in particular, how and where food topics and concepts are mentioned in US science and environmental education national standards. We will explore ways in which science educators can integrate the Nexus into their teacher education courses and programs. Specific examples of the “Nexus in focus” will be shared along with how to participate in projects that represent the Nexus approach. Participants are encouraged to bring their questions, insights and/or course syllabi to share.

Abstract:

For a number of years, the Departments of Physics and Earth-Space Science and Chemistry at the University of Indianapolis has offered a physical science (integrated chemistry and physics) course for preservice elementary teachers.  One of the challenges of the course has been making connections between the college coursework and the science content to be taught in the elementary classroom.  The 2020 NSTA/ASTE Standards for Science Teacher Preparation provide research-backed guidance on how to design a science class specifically for preservice elementary and early childhood education majors based on the recommendations of A Framework for K-12 Science Education and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).  These new Standards utilize conceptual understanding questions to clarify the content preservice teachers need to know to be prepared to successfully integrate science concepts in their future classrooms.  We have been using these new standards and their conceptual understanding questions to redesign our integrated physical science class for preservice teachers.  The content for the redesigned course was divided into four units based on the Physical Science Disciplinary Core Ideas (Matter and Its Interactions, Motion and Stability – Forces and Interactions, Energy, and Waves and Their Applications).  This presentation will review our process of redesigning our course and present our insights from its initial implementation last year.  Specific course examples and materials (syllabi, activities, laboratories, etc.) will be shared.  Strategies for selecting specific curriculum elements targeted to improve preservice teachers’ competence with key conceptual understandings for teaching in the different grade bands (K-2, 3-5, 6-8), as designated in the NSTA/ASTE Standards and Content Analysis Forms, will be discussed.  Science faculty will share their struggles and successes in designing and teaching this course and the results of early student feedback on the course design.  

Abstract:

We studied the beliefs about science teaching and science teaching self-efficacy of two cohorts. The first cohort, the preservice teachers, specialized in Science and Mathematics, and the second in Literacy, Culture, and Diversity (LCD). Not much is known about the differences in science teaching and science teaching self-efficacy beliefs of future teachers who specialize in different subject areas at the undergraduate level of education. Understanding such beliefs can be instrumental in deciding the essential inputs for future science teachers during their training at a university. For this study, we analyzed preservice teachers' responses from:

1. Draw-A-Science-Teacher-Test (DASTT-C).
2. Science Teaching Efficacy Belief (STEBI-B).
3. Belief about Reform Science Teaching and Learning (BARSTL).

We found that given the same teaching environment and similar learning opportunities, the two groups pursuing courses entailing science and non-emphasis do not significantly differ in their science teaching and science teaching self-efficacy beliefs.

Abstract:

Community gardens are home to a variety of place-based environmental education programs. Situated learning theory and its relation to place-based environmental education provides the theoretical context for this study. Situated learning theory postulates that learning occurs through a social process when presented in authentic contexts. This research study evaluated a youth internship program, which aimed to teach youth about the program’s 3 pillars of career preparedness, healthy living, and citizenship. Additionally, this study evaluated how participants identified with and learned through a community. The program’s immediate outcomes were evaluated through mixed method evaluation techniques. Through analyzing and triangulating the data, this study explored the immediate outcomes of the program to determine if trends existed regarding change in participants’ career preparedness skills, healthy living attitudes, citizenship content knowledge, and learning through community practices. Results indicated that career preparedness, healthy living, and gaining perceptions about citizenship were increased with the internship opportunity. Most gains for career preparedness were found in making a list to accomplish goals in life. Awareness of process foods was found to be the main benefit for healthy living. Most interns already had a positive and strong sense of community. Content knowledge was the theme that gained the most through the place-based internship.

Abstract:

This presentation discusses an approach that helps preservice teachers identify culturally relevant science and math pedagogy. The approach develops a connection between theory (abstract) and practice (concrete) by identifying differeent teacher practices and mapping them back to tenets of culturally relevant pedagogy. The teacher practices (curricular materials, instructional decision and teacher dispositions) are identified and connected to tenets of CRP. The practices are then evaluated for criticality using the Iceberg of Culturally Relevant Science and Math Pedagogy. Those practices at the top of the iceberg are of low emotional load and rarely work to dismantle oppressive practices. Those practices at the bottom of the iceberg support the inclusion of students' funds of knowlede and actively work to challenge dominant, racist practices in schools. 

Abstract:

This longitudinal case study investigated the characteristics of PCK and PCK development among six preservice science teachers (PSTs) during their last year of an undergraduate teacher preparation program, including student teaching and the edTPA portfolio creation process. This investigation of PCK development focused on the integration of components of PCK (e.g., knowledge of student understanding [KSU], knowledge of instructional strategies and representations, knowledge of assessment, etc.). Data sources included observations, interviews, the researcher’s field notes, edTPA portfolio materials, lesson plans, surveys, and other artifacts and documents, such as assignments and written reflections from their science education methods courses. Data were analyzed using three approaches: (1) coding with a priori codes, (2) the PCK Map approach (Park & Chen, 2012), and (3) the constant comparative method. While no consistent pattern of PCK development was discernible through analyzing participant’s PCK Maps, further analysis revealed five emerging themes regarding common characteristics of PSTs’ PCK and PCK development over the course of their final year of teacher preparation: (1) PSTs’ orientations to teaching science remained relatively stable and rarely influenced their PCK or instructional practice; (2) PSTs’ KSU was limited but developed through teaching experience, in association with their knowledge of assessment; (3) some aspects of PSTs’ KSU developed through the integration of their knowledge of science curriculum; (4) the relationship between KSU and knowledge of instructional strategies and representations was central to PSTs’ PCK; and finally, (5) despite being frequently integrated into their PCK, PSTs’ understanding of assessment methods and the purposes of assessment were limited. Discussion centers around how this research contributes to the growing body of scholarship surrounding the characteristics of PCK and PCK development among PSTs. Implications for science teacher education as well as directions for future research are discussed. 

Abstract:

The purpose of this research is to explore how a professional learning community (PLC) focused on participatory action research (PAR) using photovoice can help a network of STEM schools address and overcome obstacles and inequities associated with STEM education while increasing collaboration and a sense of ownership of the network. Teachers were given photovoice prompts that allowed them to explore obstacles with STEM pedagogy and their unconscious bias towards students of color and female students. They were asked to provide three to five photos and add captions, which they submitted via email. Teachers then used these photos and narrative descriptions to facilitate a dialogue during STEM network meetings to address obstacles and inequities within STEM education. Preliminary findings suggest that teachers are addressing issues they face with implementing STEM pedagogy and initiatives at their schools. Conversations have centered around potential solutions to the issues, indicating the teachers are becoming more aware and active in solving problems in their practice. Finally, findings indicate that teachers are developing more ownership in the STEM group. They are taking steps to become more involved such as taking the lead during STEM network meetings.

Abstract:

In the United States, with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), the integration of engineering content, concepts, and practices have become an important priority of science instruction. However, there is little research on how science teachers use these aspects of engineering as part of their regular discipline-based science (i.e., life, Earth, and physical sciences) instruction to address NGSS performance expectations. In this descriptive study, we analyzed classroom observation data from a multi-year study of early- and mid-career secondary science teachers. We investigated how often teachers integrated engineering into discipline-specific science lessons to meet specific NGSS performance expectations, and posed the following research questions: 1. How do secondary teachers integrate NGSS engineering practices in science lessons? 2. What, if any, NGSS engineering content and practices did science teachers use to teach science? 3. What types of engineering problems, if any, do teachers pose to students and what opportunities do they have to explore, design, test, and iterate upon potential solutions? Data were collected and analyzed on 210 lessons by 24 middle school teachers’ use and non-use of an engineering focus or activity and 50 high school teachers’ 588 lessons. In our analysis of the middle school lessons, we found that only 7.14% (n=15) of the total lessons contained some aspect of engineering. By comparison, teachers used at least one of the scientific practices in 74% (n=154) of lessons. When engineering was incorporated it was either integrated to support students’ learning of specific DCIs or as an engineering focused lesson that allowed students to apply scientific knowledge to a problem or product. Because none of the teachers had any engineering coursework as preservice teachers, we hypothesize that they might have thought they were integrating some aspects of engineering, or simply did not think it was important, or most likely, lacked the knowledge, confidence, or the desire to design science lessons as STEM lessons.

Abstract:

This study uses Campbell et al’s (2019) Community of Practice Teacher Leader Model (CoPTLM) as a framework to understand how a 6-year professional development program impacted secondary STEM teachers’ perceptions of their teacher leader identity. At its core, the CoPTLM proposes that teacher leader identity develops as a teacher’s competencies are recognized as credible when performed socially. Data were obtained primarily through two interviews spaced apart by two years, as well as a survey conducted towards the end of the study period. Analysis of the interviews focused primarily on identifying statements from the teachers that described how the program impacted their competencies, performances, and recognition, internally and externally, as teacher leaders. The competencies and/or instances of performing teacher leadership activities cited by the teachers illustrate the change in scope of the teachers’ view of their role in the profession. Additionally, their membership in the sustained, supportive community of practice provided by the program assisted the teachers in identifying themselves as teacher leaders and prompting them to take more active roles beyond their own classroom.  The presentation will detail the factors that the teachers identified as important to their growth as well as insights for how their comments inform our understanding of identity development among teacher leaders.

Abstract:

This study explored the relationship of formal and informal science experiences as factors that contribute to science teacher career aspirations. Researchers have investigated factors that motivate teachers generally, but there are very few studies that examine these factors for science teachers. In this study, in-service (N=151) and pre-service (N=28) secondary science teachers were surveyed, and a subsample (N=10) were interviewed about experiences and factors that contributed to their decision to select science teaching as a career and the influence of individuals on their career choice. The analyses of the survey and interviews found that teachers reported that their prior experiences as a student in science were influential in their career choice. Further, the teachers reported that having teaching- and leadership-related experiences in informal science settings such as being a teaching assistant or tutor and volunteering at a museum were more influential in shaping career aspirations than participating in precollege student experiences such as attending a science camp or being in a science club. The implications for teacher education recruitment are discussed.

Abstract:

This poster will share diverse perspectives and research findings regarding the interactions between religion and science education provided by Sinai and Synapses Fellows and compiled in a special issue of the Electronic Journal for Research in Science & Mathematics Education (EJRSME). The Sinai and Synapses fellowship is a “select interfaith group of clergy, scientists, and writers who are committed to elevating the discourse surrounding religion and science.” Since 2013 there have been four two-year fellowship cohorts each with the goal of stimulating the development of content such as blogs, videos, and curriculum that delve into the interactions of science and religion. The special issue of EJRSME is composed of 11 manuscripts submitted by 14 Fellows spanning all four cohorts representing science educators, clergy, chaplains, doctoral students, teachers, scientists, and other academics. Below we provide a brief overview of each manuscript that conference attendees will learn about during this poster presentation.

Abstract:

As the impact of climate change becomes more and more apparent, it is essential that teachers feel adequately prepared to discuss climate change with their students.. Yet, research shows that teachers at the K-8 level are often underprepared in this area (Plutzer et al., 2016). Additionally, nearly all existing science curricula focus almost exclusively on the one-third of Earth's surface covered in land, rather than the two-thirds covered in water. Understanding marine environments is essential for building a comprehensive perspective on climate systems and climate change. Though the NGSS offer many opportunities for helping teachers address these needs, many K-8 teachers are not comfortable implementing these standards (Haag & Megowan, 2015; Harris et al., 2017). After identifying teachers’ baseline understanding of marine science, climate change, and the NGSS via a survey and focus group discussion (Authors, 2021), we (1) modified existing marine science curricular materials to integrate climate change, (2) developed a professional development plan (series of three workshops for a cohort of current and future K-8 teachers) to aid teachers in using these materials and integrating these topics, and (3) implemented the professional development with the first cohort of teachers. Data on teachers’ experiences at professional development were collected via qualitative survey and project team reflections. We found that the K-8 teacher  participants’ were able to thoughtfully reflect on their experiences and offer meaningful feedback on the workshops to help us shape and structure our future work. 

Abstract:

“Those who can’t do, teach.” This hurtful adage continues to be common, implying that those who are teachers are somehow lesser, not quite as smart, or could not make it in a ‘better’ profession. However, one could argue that this adage – and the damage it wreaks – persists because the general public does not fully understand what teachers do and the expertise involved in teaching well. The question then becomes, how can science educators provide an accurate picture of science education with those outside the field? The assumption being that a better-educated public may be more supportive in a number of spheres. Therefore, the purpose of this roundtable will to be to discuss the unexpected findings from a project that pairs STEM graduate students (GSs) with elementary teacher candidates (TCs) for the purposes of TCs learning content knowledge for lesson planning. These findings include themes of the difficulties involved in planning an effective lesson; the difference between content and teaching expertise; seeing teaching as a well-honed skill; and, finding ways to give back to the field of education. Viewed through the lens of disciplinary stewardship (both on the part of the GSs and TCs), we see these unanticipated findings as something that could perhaps be expanded into more purposeful collaborations in the future and would like to discuss these possibilities further with others in our field. Related to the conference theme of “Why Science Education?” this roundtable presentation intends to engage science educators in considering how to support those outside the field to answer this question as well as the question, “Why Teach Science in Particular Ways?” in a thoughtful manner such that we may cultivate more advocates for high-quality science education within the general public.

Abstract:

This paper is a report of a study of student and instructor perceptions and preferences of the undergraduate laboratory experience in introductory biology, chemistry, physics, and earth science. A new instrument was designed to elicit responses about the kind of students participating in undergraduate science laboratories, their attitudes about such experiences, the goals they perceive for instructional laboratories and their preferences regarding ideal instructional strategies with questions constructed from recommendations from the science education community. A parallel version of the survey targeted instructors’ views of laboratory instruction. The questions in the preferences section come from a research-based exemplary practice model describing fifteen strategies to enhance laboratory learning. The survey was field tested and modified before administration (see note) to 579 students and 30 instructors in 26 different higher education institutions. With some exceptions, instructors and students agreed on their opinions regarding laboratory work, the goals for such investigations and the frequency with which certain activities should occur. However, when compared, instructors generally favored more of the strategies shown by science education research to enhance laboratory learning. Notably, instructors strongly favored longer activities, providing limited instructions, encouraging students to make more decisions regarding procedures and responding to student questions more indirectly. Students were more likely to express a preference for the status quo while instructors are more likely to advocate for changes in the design and conduct of laboratory instruction.  Note: Data provided here represent the prior pilot results with new data collected in Fall 2021.

Abstract:

As Computational Thinking (CT) has gained traction in K-12 education, researchers have suggested that a natural context for the infusion of CT is within STEM education. Further support has come with the inclusion of CT as one of the eight scientific and engineering practices within the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS lead states, 2013). As a result elementary teachers are being asked to integrate content, pedagogy, and thinking skills from an area, CT/CS, in which they are less familiar, less confident and which is generally not required for elementary teacher certification. Additionally, the integration of CT into another disciplinary area, such as science, requires that teachers have a deep conceptual understanding of that content area as well as knowledge for how CT concepts relate to student learning in the classroom.  Furthermore, while a number of efforts have focused on preparing teachers to integrate CT within secondary disciplinary subject areas; there is little research on how CT ideas could be embedded within various disciplinary subject areas at the elementary level.

Utilizing a multiple case study design, this study examines one model for preparing preservice elementary teachers to embed CT into elementary classrooms through the examination of PSTs enrolled in a 3-credit course for elementary education majors focused on teaching and integrating CT and engineering design that is conducted in partnership with local elementary schools. Findings suggest that exposure to and experience with CT are important considerations for teacher educators when thinking about how to support elementary PSTs in building an understanding of CT as well as an ability of PSTs to design and implement CT lessons in elementary classrooms.

Abstract:

Human population and anthropogenic interactions with the natural world are only increasing, causing environmental issues (increasing global temperatures, severe drought, sea level rise, etc.) to increase at a rapid rate. To address the needs of the future, workforce development of all types must include a focus on the critical need for environmental literacy (Franzen, 2017). Teachers are critical for this type of work, supporting student learning of the environment through development of 21^st century skills such as critical thinking and communication, but often lack the background, experience, or confidence to develop and implement field investigations within their classes.

This project specifically focuses on pre-service teachers, identified in the research as the “most effective long range means of diffusing environmental education” (McDonald & Dominguez, 2010, p. 19). By reaching teachers in their teacher preparation programs, and instilling the importance of field investigations and outdoor education from the start of their teaching career, outdoor educational experiences can become ingrained in their curriculum planning from the start. Environmental education training for these pre-service teachers will add beneficial experiences to their methods courses, encouraging pre-service teachers to think critically and as system-thinkers themselves due to the interdisciplinary nature of the subject (McDonald & Dominguez, 2010).  

The preservice teacher program that served as the context for the present study partnered informal science educators with several universities and their school of education faculty in a mid-Atlantic state to design and build capacity within pre-service teacher preparation programs for teaching and implementing meaningful watershed educational experiences. Results from the first year of the project indicated preservice teachers made significant gains in their MWEE knowledge, self-efficacy, and pedagogy following the program. Faculty endorsed the program as a positive experience and one they would include in their courses in the future.

Abstract:

Practitioners and researchers in integrated STEM education continue to strive for a better understanding of integrative approaches and how they supplement one another. One prominent theme arising from various researchers’ definitions of integrated STEM is the connection between providing a context to support learning (context integration) and the integration of multiple disciplines in the lesson (content integration) (Kelley & Knowles, 2016; Moore et al, 2014; Sanders, 2009). Additionally, these integrative approaches were posited to be more challenging to accomplish in some science content areas compared to others (Authors, 2014, Cira et al., 2015; Guzey et al., 2016). However, these claims remain yet to be empirically supported. Using correlational analysis, we examined the relationship between context integration and content integration in science classrooms. Using a novel STEM observation instrument (Authors, 2021), we analyzed over 2,000 K-12 classroom observations that implemented integrated STEM instruction that varied in grade band and science content (life science, physical science, and earth science). We found a statistically significant moderate, positive relationship between the two constructs with respect to our aggregate data. Moreover, we found that the correlation between context integration and content integration in life science classroom observations is not only the strongest but is also statistically significantly different from those of physical science and earth science classroom observations. While previous research notes the complexity and challenges of finding an engaging context as well as integrating life science with engineering and mathematics (Authors, 2021; Guzey et al., 2019), the findings imply that when an effective and engaging context is used in life science lessons, it is very likely that integration of multiple STEM disciplines can also be observed and vice versa. Consequently, future research may delve in qualitatively exploring the operationalization of context integration and content integration in these kinds of lessons.

Abstract:

This presentation focuses on my experiences and reflections on teaching a fully asynchronous online science and health methods course for preservice elementary teachers during the Covid-19 pandemic. Conducted during the 15-week Fall 2020 semester, this self-study explored the following research question: What are the successes and challenges of teaching an online asynchronous elementary science and health methods course? Framed within the concept of online preservice teacher education, I investigated the research question through creation of a reflective teaching journal and through ZoomTM transcripts of bi-monthly critical friends meetings. Findings include innovations to my course, use of technology, and planning for the future. A theme of “considering context” emerged from the ZoomTM transcripts. Results of this study support previous findings from the literature, for example that online teacher education courses can increase flexibility (Hudson, 2006) and support innovations in technology (Brown, 2020). In the online course, I embedded more technology and focused on flexibility, simplicity, organization, and access. I also found that there were ways that I could connect with my students (i.e., optional virtual meetings). I found success in streamlining the course by embedding various modalities while focusing on two platforms (CanvasTM and Google SlidesTM).  Indeed, my students indicated that they appreciated the consistency of the course while staying engaged in the various course topics. Results also provided me an opportunity to consider which of these innovations I would keep in the methods course once returning to a hybrid or in-person format. Challenges included uncertainty about my teaching, feeling disconnected from students, and juggling personal and professional roles at home. As we live in an increasingly digital world, this proposal is relevant to teacher educators who teach or are interested in teaching online elementary science methods as it provides insight into possible successes and challenges to teaching in this format.

Abstract:

In 2020, both ASTE and NSTA approved a new set of standards to guide teacher preparation programs. These standards, an update to NSTA's 2012 Standards for Science Teacher Preparation (SSTP), feature two major changes: aligning the SSTP to the Next Generation Science Standards and the Framework for K-12 Science Education, and making social justice an explicit focus of the standards. The extent to which programs are ready for these shifts is unclear. I operationalized the 2020 ASTE/NSTA Standards into 30 discrete competencies, then asked programs to provide information about which of the competencies their current program was addressing, and how. I collected 25 responses from programs in the United States and Canada—a small sample, but one that showed some interesting trends. Slightly less than half of the competencies were taught in 100% of responding programs, while some were taught in considerably fewer. The use of engineering practices was taught particularly infrequently—36% of respondents indicated it was simply not taught in their teacher education program. Sample size limitations prevent this data from being generalizable, but it may nonetheless suggest areas in need of greater attention within the science teacher education community. Additionally, the process of operationalizing the 2020 SSTP for the survey may provide some insights into aspects of the standards that would benefit from clarification.

Abstract:

The practice-based science methods course model presented here engaged preservice elementary teachers in guided rehearsals and practice teaching within authentic classroom settings and with elementary students in a guided format. Questions guiding the study were: 1) How did participation in the model impact elementary preservice teachers’ science teaching self-efficacy? and 2) Which model features were most likely to influence preservice teachers’ science teaching self-efficacy? Participants were 138 elementary preservice teachers from a university in the Southeast United States. Data were collected over 3 years and included pre/post science teaching self-efficacy survey data, post written responses, and interview data from a subset of preservice teachers. A team of three researchers completed qualitative data analysis, which was complimented by quantitative statistical analysis. Findings across data sources suggest that participation positively influenced the preservice teachers’ science teaching self-efficacy, as well as their beliefs about the effectiveness of the reform-based instructional approaches. Findings also revealed how these science teacher preparation approaches helped preservice teachers apply theories in context, practice the related instructional approaches, and begin to develop competency using them independently. These findings highlight how this science methods course model mitigates constraints associated with current science teacher preparation approaches such as ensuring science methods instructors can observe and provide feedback on preservice teachers’ science teaching enactments that occur in authentic classroom settings.

Abstract:

District science coordinators (DSCs) can cultivate and sustain the instructional practices of science teachers. In this study, a differentiated online professional development (OPD) program was developed for DSCs that focused on: equitable science instruction, curriculum alignment, and professional development programming. The DSCs were assessed about their knowledge to support science teachers in these areas. This paper reports on the development of the program, the knowledge of one group of DSCs, and their initial participation at the start of the OPD program. The OPD program was developed prior to the recruitment of the DSCs, based on research associated with DSCs and science teacher leadership, and involved work embedded assignments. DSCs completed an assessment prior to the OPD program to determine which modules they would take. The DSCs in this study were each responsible for providing science education instruction to teachers in their school district. They came from one state in the United States, were new and experienced leaders, and worked with elementary, secondary, or K-12 teachers. The assessments of the DSCs revealed that they had good knowledge of the science instruction, some knowledge of equity in the schools, and limited knowledge about how to support teachers professionally, and how to align the curriculum in their district. The DSCs were assigned to their modules based upon their scores, and they were assigned to complete the modules at certain time points or as they had time to complete the modules. The completion rate and feedback from the modules was also examined. The alignment of the DSCs’ professional needs to the modules was helped by the pre-assessments, the research base, and experiences of the design team. Feedback and completion rates informed design changes necessary for OPD moving forward.

Abstract:

In this presentation, we explore the patterns of science teachers’ format of instruction and their implementation of SEPs. In response to COVID-19’s impact on teaching modality, teachers were forced to adapt their courses to various formats, for example, synchronous, asynchronous, hybrid, and hyflex format. Given the shifts needed for various instructional formats, teachers might leave out or ignore SEPs. In order to understand the impact of changing instructional format and implementation of SEPS, we decided to show how science teachers were implementing SEPs in different formats. Based upon the TPACK (technological pedagogical content knowledge) framework of Koehler and Mishra (2009), we interpreted the forms of knowledge teachers leveraged as they adapted their courses to different formats. Three groups of teachers were interviewed at three-time points during the 2020-2021 school year for collecting what the five days of instruction entailed. We analyzed the interview transcripts and focused on the SEPs students engaged in during lessons. The initial findings showed that teachers were only using five of the SEPs. In respect to the relationship between SEPs and instructional formats, our initial results indicated that there might be a difference in the SEPs teachers implement by instructional format. Teachers seem to implement more practices virtually than the other two teacher groups. For further investigation, we plan to investigate the difference by SEPs and explore how virtual/hyflex teachers taught using the most common SEPs. From this study, we see that teachers tended to use five of the eight SEPs and the potential difference of implementing SEPs by instructional formats. These initial results have implications for what supports teachers may need in learning how to implement SEPs with students in different instructional formats.

Abstract:

Unmotivated learners are a challenge across grade levels, subjects, and cultures, and science educators often struggle to effectively articulate why students should want to learn the content they are required to by government standards. This presentation will introduce 3cScience motivation, an open framework based on curiosity, connections, and compassion. The 3cScience motivation framework was initially developed using tools for conceptual analysis, which can be of considerable value in science education research. It is grounded in the importance of pragmatic forms of science literacy and environmental literacy, which both emphasize how science can be used as a tool to meet environmental challenges and improve personal or community wellbeing. It has been employed in science methods courses that use a proactive, prosocial approach, as it highlights the importance of connections and compassion. In addition, 3cScience leverages the power of education that incorporates socioscientific issues as a fruitful way to engage students, including younger learners. The response to the framework from preservice, inservice, and informal educators has all been generally positive. In a recent round of abductive analysis, each of the three C’s was chosen by different methods students, typically because it was the way they were most motivated to learn science themselves, so it resonated. This presentation, and ongoing work based on the framework, will contribute to the knowledge base for science teacher education by helping educators and education researchers more systematically examine and leverage a wider range of motivations for learning science, moving beyond the emphasis on grades or jobs in many educational systems. It will encourage the consideration of more social, more personal, and more ethical motivations for acquiring scientific knowledge, skills, and attitudes. The 3cScience motivation framework is designed to be open, adaptable, and culturally responsive, and can help show students that science can be used to make the world a better, more just place.

Abstract:

The preparation of the next generation of science educators can be supported by research-based understandings of how people learn science in and out of school. Assignments promoting informal learning given to science teacher candidates can be used as course models for a more holistic teacher educator preparation program that incorporates the strands of learning in informal science. In one MAT program course, preservice teacher candidates are observers in a science research program to see how secondary students learn science in an informal science environment. They conduct a small qualitative research study exploring the research question, How do students engage in science learning in an informal environment? This qualitative case study illustrates the candidates reflecting on ISE Strand 1, observing how young learners are excited and interested in science phenomena. In another course, preservice teacher candidates become citizen scientists by becoming GLOBE certified and contributing to the GLOBE database. For the culminating assignment, candidates develop and write a grant proposal for a classroom based citizen science or research project. Both components of this course exemplify ISE Strand 6, where candidates are science learners and contributors to the scientific enterprise. End of semester course evaluations indicate the faculty have incorporated the informal science environment within a higher education institution with the responses indicating positive attitudes and beliefs about science teaching. In so doing, these examples may help to foster current goals of science teacher education, as articulated in NSTA/ASTE 2020 Science Standards for Teacher Preparation (Morrell, et al, 2020).

Abstract:

The crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic made remote-teaching and pedagogical agility a necessity for preservice teachers. In this design-based research study, we examine and report outcomes of the first iteration of a practicum for preservice elementary school teachers (PSETs) to learn to teach science remotely. The pilot practicum had a university-based microteaching component followed by a school-based teaching component. The practicum was based in digital and remote spaces, rather than university or school spaces. We draw upon hybridity and third-space theory to begin to characterize how the practicum occurred in digital spaces that lay both inside and outside traditional classrooms. Hybridity theory in a third space posits that new discourses and practices emerge in the spaces between tradition. We compare survey results of PSET’s (n = 22) perceived satisfaction and perceived teaching efficacy in the university-based microteaching component and the school-based teaching component. We also report results of a constructivist inductive grounded-theory analysis (Charmaz, 2006) of interviews and PSET reflections. We report that PSETs valued affordances of the pilot practicum for “real” teaching roles, pedagogical creativity, and bridging from university to school. Results also indicate that PSETs valued the university-based remote microteaching experiences more than the school-based teaching experiences for supporting them in developing confidence and ability for teaching science and integrating science and literacy. Results indicate that PSETs valued the school-based remote teaching experiences more than the university-based remote microteaching experiences for supporting them in developing confidence and ability for understanding student perspectives, providing clear instruction to students, and gaining overall teaching ability. This study has implications for re-thinking the practicum as a more productive learning environment. It also has implications for guiding PSETs to integrate technology and innovate the teaching of science during times of uncertainty.

Abstract:

Although STEM education has been promoted as an integrated approach for solving real-world problems, the discipline of engineering seems to be the key vehicle for binding all disciplines with the authentic contexts (Bryan, Moore, Johnson, & Roehrig, 2016). Nevertheless, few studies explored through engineering thinking, knowledge, and practice be combined and embedded on insightful pre-service science teacher’s STEM lessons. Thus, this study would explore in what ways the characteristics of engineering were addressed in the STEM lesson plans.

The study was framed by the constructivist paradigm with multiple case study designs. Nine lesson plans of fifth-year pre-service teachers were coded and analyzed through the synthesized framework of being engineer with four lenses of engineering; views, scopes, tasks, and contexts.

The key findings show that engineering tasks was discussed the most (56%), all lesson plan highlighted EDP and scientific inquiry but neither provided students the opportunity to modify the existing prototypes nor determined the specification by themselves. Followed by the engineering scopes (27%), the result showed how lesson plan emphasized the engineering knowledge to compare and select the materials for designing the solutions and could be upgraded them by non-linear working. Thirdly, the engineering views (14%), some lessons encouraged students to prioritize the conditions, constraints, and possible solutions in which less considered in previous studies. Lastly, the engineering context (3%) was found at the beginning of learning but then be faded over the activities. Whereas it is really necessary to keep the consistency of contact to student learning and decision making on working, this study seemed not to align with this claim.

Since this study addressed the characteristics of engineering, it seemed to be the protocols for STEM teachers to think when they design the STEM lessons. With realizing these features, supervisors would understand how and why PST’s design the particular STEM lessons and guide them to complete their plan.
 

Abstract:

This qualitative case study explored Latinx pre-service elementary teachers’ understanding of NOS and their perceptions about the useful features of explicit-reflective culturally relevant nature of science (NOS) instruction. Our participants were ten pre-service elementary teachers from a Hispanic serving Institute located in the Southwestern U.S.A. The 15-hour intervention workshop was designed based on Latinx pre-service teachers’(LSPTs’).  autobiographical narratives. The narratives highlight the LSPTs culture and voice. After creating 10 case studies for participants that combined all the data gathered from them, including pre and post-interviews, worksheets, reflections and video recording, we analyzed their perception of NOS via cross-cases and between cases analysis. We identified some features perceived by the participants as effective components of explicit-reflective culturally relevant NOS instruction (1) specific focus on NOS elements that were related to the autobiographies, (2) participation in hands-on NOS activities, (3) grouping with stronger participants (4) using different instructional tools (5) interaction with Latinx scientists. We also found participants’ culture was a strong factor in their response to the questions related to subjectivity and socio-cultural.

Abstract:

With the inclusion of engineering within the Next Generation Science Standards, elementary students have the opportunity to engage in engineering experiences at a much younger age. While early elementary STEM experiences show promise in increasing student interest and attitudes, what affect do these experiences have on their conceptions of engineers? This presentation will present the results of data gathered by the Draw An Engineer Test (DAET) to assess early childhood conceptions of engineers before and after a STEM unit that was implemented as part of their regular classroom instruction. Previous research using the DAET have involved older elementary students, so this study seeks to investigate what themes are apparent among students in Kindergarten and First-grade.

Abstract:

The purpose of the Project-Based Learning course is to demonstrate the effectiveness of learning communities in promoting engagement in the science classroom. Many students and teachers view science as an individual subject, designing notes, investigations, and assessments without student collaboration in mind. In this presentation, we show how preservice science teachers collaborated in learning about and ultimately taking steps to preserve the Potomac River through an Instagram community. Guidelines for adapting this course to promote community learning to connect with nature using social media are discussed. 

Abstract:

Very few new models and approaches have been developed for explicitly connecting support for learning science concepts with support for learning and applying the language of science with English learners in the secondary science teacher education context.  A 3-year innovative program that is taking place at a large metropolitan university in the Southeastern United States is introduced in the proposal. The program uses a tri-focal design in four targeted undergraduate courses, including science methods course, internship I, internship II, and a seminar course during internship II to help secondary science PSTs learn how to teach science to all students including English Learners (Els). The focus of this proposal is to explore a reformed secondary science methods courses’ development, implementation, outcome, and lessons learned through collaboration between Science Education (focus 1), Disciplinary Literacy (focus 2), and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (focus 3) faculty during the fall 2020 semester.

Abstract:

This qualitative case study communicates insights gained by a science methods instructor mentoring three secondary education doctoral students assigned to teach an undergraduate elementary science methods course, within a large teacher preparation program. The presentation highlights the professional development model used, as well as insights gained as doctoral students experienced becoming science teacher educators through close mentoring. Specifically, we explore how the recent doctoral students describe the relationship between conceptual and practical facets of their preparation when becoming science teacher educators, tensions that surface, and how they perceive challenges encountered. The study responds to research-based findings that indicate teacher preparation programs situated at large, research-based institutions, often rely heavily on the competence and dedication of graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) to prepare future teachers for the science classroom. The wide range of responsibilities often means GTAs interact with more undergraduate students than established professors themselves, and define programs’ instructional quality in practice, thus, assuming a significant role in supporting departments’ overall instructional objectives (Gardner & Jones, 2011). Inconsistently, GTAs are often left to their own devices, and/or receive mentoring from untrained peers with limited resources, rather than developing a mentored understanding of ways to apply signature pedagogy for effective undergraduate teacher preparation (Franco & Yendol-Hoppey, 2014; Luft et al., 2004; Staton & Darling, 1989). Findings from this study have direct implications for effectively developing doctoral science teacher educators skilled in supporting k-12 science teacher development. The presentation aims to ignite discussion among science teacher educators, into the significance of explicitly and intentionally supporting doctoral students’ instructional development.

Abstract:

In elementary schools, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education is becoming more prevalent, and recent national reports have been calling for the integration between the STEM disciplines. Research suggests that early inclusion of engineering experiences within the STEM curriculum can help develop young students’ understanding of the STEM careers and role of engineering to develop solutions that solve problems within the human world and address human needs within the society, it aslo help with students’ motivation, achievment, and develop problem solving skills by contextualizing the content of mathematics and science. This project utilizes a single case study research design to examine how an elementary teacher makes connections between science and engineering during the implementation of an integrated STEM unit. Our findings were based on verbal communication by the teacher making connections between science and engineering during an integrated STEM unit imlementation. The implicit and explicit nature of integration were observed in the lesson.

Abstract:

This paper focuses on discussing the results of a basic interpretive study which investigated in-service elementary teachers’ beliefs and possibly held stereotypes of scientists using the Enhanced Draw A Scientist Test, the E-DAST, and follow-up interviews. Analysis led to three themes: (1) participants’ personal experiences influence who they view as scientists and what they believe scientists do, (2) participants use their negative experiences as students to positively influence their personal instructional practices, and (3) participants hold an awareness of implicit biases. The results of this study show that the in-service teacher participants do not hold or display the same stereotypes of scientists as seen in previous research studies using the Draw-A-Scientist-Test variations. The information collected from this study yields a new body of research that has not been thoroughly addressed and presents implications for further research such as using the DAST and its variations as a means of sparking conversations and personal pedagogical reflections.

Abstract:

This study examined data from 40 teachers, enrolled in a Robert Noyce Teacher Fellowship Program at two separate universities, during the 2020-2021 academic year to identify themes regarding whether and how they supported their peers and students, particularly to facilitate science instruction during educational disruptions caused by the COVID pandemic. The research question that guided this investigation was How did teacher leaders influence educational systems during the pandemic? Data included interviews, surveys, and observations. A constant comparative method of analysis was used to discern themes. Results include vignettes and frequency data. Themes regarding how the TLs influenced their systems include that they 1) facilitated digital technology use among peers; 2) promoted implementation of best practices; 3) endeavored to increase student engagement and participation; and 4) developed curricular resources to facilitate remote NGSS-aligned instruction. Outcomes suggest that schools should invest resources to develop teacher leaders and adopt administrative perspectives that support teacher leadership as a mechanism to insulate educational systems from future disruptions.

Abstract:

This work was in direct response to recent calls in science education reforms to engage children in the work of doing science namely enacting science practices. We hypothesized that a wonder-framed nature study was one possible avenue toward facilitating student engagement and experience within science practices where was asked children to take on the role of scientists.

This study investigated twenty students in Grades 3 through 5 who participated in wonder journaling sessions outdoors that led to an investigative project and public presentation with all participants. The findings suggest that students strongly engaged in investigative science practices, and that they also experienced opportunities for sensemaking and critiquing practices. Qualitative analysis found four main themes within the study: joy, community, autonomy, and challenges. The data also indicated that utilizing wonder was a viable route towards the implementation of the science practices within an elementary school setting. The implications of this study offer strategies for science teacher educators seeking to incorporate science practices in an authentic way that integrates both wonder and outdoor learning.

Abstract:

Within the vision of 3D science learning within new reforms, the explicit focus on the eight crosscutting concepts (CCCs) (e.g., cause & effect, system & system models) connected to the science and engineering practices (SEPs) and disciplinary core ideas (DCIs) is promising. To support 3-D science learning, teachers need to develop pedagogical content knowledge and teaching practice specific to each dimension, including the CCCs.  However, limited research exists on how to assess teachers’ knowledge and use of the CCCs integrated with the DCIs and SEPs within these learning opportunities. This presentation describes our qualitative analyses of two assessments of preservice elementary teachers’ knowledge of the CCCs within the context of 3D science learning.  Our analyses showed that both instruments can reveal students’ understanding of CCCs in relation to their knowledge of DCIs, SEPs, and phenomena and their use of them for their instruction for science. In the pre-course questionnaire, some PSTs’ showed an initial understanding of the links of the CCCs to the DCIs and explaining the phenomenon as well as the connection of the CCCs to SEPs. The summative assessment was able to show knowledge of CCCs as bridges across different DCIs and phenomena as well as tools for explaining the DCIs and phenomenon. Our findings have implications for teacher educators related to studying and supporting teachers to develop their knowledge and ability to use CCC(s) as tools in three-dimensional science instruction.

Abstract:

The growing number of emergent bilinguals (EBs) in United States’ K-12 public schools, coupled with greater attention to the role of language in science instruction from the Next Generation Science Standards, means that more secondary science teachers will have the opportunity to teach linguistically diverse students in a language- and literacy-integrated manner. However, despite well-documented benefits of integrating language and science instruction, many teachers report feeling unprepared to do so, especially at the secondary level. This is important, because feelings of teacher self-efficacy are related to teacher behavior and action. That is, if teachers feel efficacious in their abilities to teach in linguistically diverse classrooms, they are more likely to do so successfully.

The purpose of this study was to assess PSTs’ feelings of efficacy and preparation for teaching science to linguistically diverse students following their participation in two language- and literacy-integrated science methods courses. We used pre- and post-intervention surveys and post-intervention interviews to determine to what extent PSTs felt prepared for and efficacious in teaching linguistically diverse students, as well as to consider what factors were related to those feelings. Survey results indicated positive growth in PSTs’ feelings of preparation and self-efficacy for teaching in linguistically diverse classrooms, but interview results provided more cautionary results. The integrated nature of the science methods courses and opportunities to teach EBs during field experiences were highlighted as key factors in PSTs’ feelings of preparation and efficacy.

Results suggest that language- and literacy-integrated science methods courses can encourage feelings of preparedness and efficacy for teaching science to linguistically diverse classes even more so than non-content-specific multilingual methods courses. However, few opportunities to implement targeted strategies in authentic contexts and challenging teaching situations can mitigate feelings of preparation and efficacy.

Abstract:

Many secondary science teachers often lack experience in actual technical research, as their preparation programs are structured to lead to certification in a specific science discipline with science learning constrained to participating in undergraduate lecture and lab courses. The real world of science and engineering research is a vastly more complex fluid process than the traditional “scientific method”. Along with the constraints and affordances of the teaching context, a teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) influences the teaching and learning that takes place in the classroom. Content knowledge is one domain that is deemed to be foundational to teachers’ PCK in science, including the core ideas, content, and practices of a given science discipline. Professional learning experiences need to support teachers to transform the ways in which they view science and engineering and build their disciplinary content knowledge. At Penn State Center for Science and the Schools (CSATS), we engage teachers in authentic research experiences and workshops to enhance their teaching skills and model scientific research in the classroom. We design our PD experiences using a systems-thinking approach, called the Modeling Authentic Science, Technology, and Engineering Research (MASTER) model, aimed to build educators’ understanding of the complex nature of authentic science and engineering research. In this conference workshop, attendees will learn how to create MASTER models with scientists and engineers. We will also use a MASTER Model as a framework to create innovative curriculum that allow students to engage in authentic science and engineering practices. By providing a more accurate depiction of the ways in which scientists and engineers actually do their work, the MASTER model serves as both a representation of this work as well as a tool for developing classroom projects that engage student in activities that either replicate these practices or serve as close approximations that would be achievable and/or more accessible for K-12 learners in school contexts.

Abstract:

In the elementary grades, many students are failing not only to read science information but also to “read to learn” science information. Integrating visual imagery into reading instruction can improve students’ comprehension, enhance retrieval, and increase retention. The audio-visual experience of reading enhanced text through mixed reality may play a beneficial role in scientific reading, especially for struggling readers. This study explored whether different mixed reality headsets alter students’ reactions to a science reading activity. Thirteen elementary school students used a Microsoft HoloLens and six students used a Magic Leap. All students participated in a post interview. An analysis of the post-interview data revealed that both sets of students were positive about the audio and visual support features of the technology. However, students who used to HoloLens indicated that the experience was beneficial for reading, while the students who used the Magic Leap indicated that the experience was beneficial for learning. The findings demonstrated that there is a potential for reading scientific text through mixed reality to not only enhance science reading but also improve science learning. Implications for science teacher education and future research are discussed.

Abstract:

This poster presentation focuses on the collaborative co-planning processes between pre-service science and special education teachers.  Our team consisted of five pre-service teachers in online and in-person Science, English, and Multiple Disabilities Support secondary classrooms in public and private schools in East Coast urban and suburban cities.  This work highlights our joint brainstorming and planning to address the lack of student engagement we each observed in our individual classrooms.  Selecting Keeley’s (2008) “Fist-to-Five” Likert scale social-emotional learning (SEL) strategy, we independently implemented the tool into our own classrooms.  We purposefully tapped into SEL to combat low engagement because such strategies often create more welcoming environments for students, lead to better connections with class content and others, create positive associations with the learning process, and have led to higher engagement rates (Thornton et al., 2015; Yang et al., 2018).  This presentation shares how we individually utilized the SEL strategy selected in collaboration to increase student engagement as well as how educators from different backgrounds could work together to tackle classroom issues and increase teacher preparedness.  Using the “Fist-to-Five” method in the form of physical prompts or surveys, we used the strategy at the beginning, middle, and end of instruction (Keeley, 2008).  We ultimately observed that the Fist-to-Five strategy increased student participation and engagement and allowed us to better analyze the needs of our students, leading to on-the-spot and future instructional revisions.  Likewise, the pre-service science teachers’ reflections and takeaways from our collaborative co-planning suggest that they feel more prepared to teach students with varying abilities.  The presentation will include teacher reflections on their classroom environments and perceived preparedness from before and after the intervention, video analysis of the implementation in different contexts, and data from student work demonstrating increased engagement.

Abstract:

In this case study, the authors seek to understand and characterize the discussions of STEM teachers among themselves when working with a 200-entry astronomy dataset using a web-based spreadsheet tool. Five in-service STEM primary and secondary teachers were audio and video recorded while working on the activity for two hours. The participants positioned group members with higher social status (based on gender, degrees, experience, etc.) as peer mentors. The peer mentors controlled the computer and guided the others to develop pedagogical content knowledge. The computer was also used as a technological bridge between science and math concepts. Participants not only integrated STEM concepts in their discussion, but also made connections to the science-adjacent topics of geography and technical writing.

Abstract:

Science classrooms are filled with students from diverse cultural backgrounds who bring background knowledge and skills with them when learning about science. These background skills and knowledge are known as a students’ funds of knowledge (Moll, et al., 1992; Gonzalez, 2006). Teachers need to recognize and utilize students' funds of knowledge while teaching science. The purpose of this research was to understand how international middle school science teachers incorporate student culture into their lessons. International schools do not have ties to a particular culture or education system thereby allowing the focus to remain on teacher use of students’ culture. A qualitative interpretive approach with semi-structured interviews was utilized with four current or former international science educators. Findings from this study indicate that teachers utilize funds of knowledge to establish positive relationships with students, teachers’ lived experiences enhanced or created challenges for implementing culture into science, and teachers had specific strategies to incorporate students’ funds of knowledge into the learning process.

Abstract:

Socioscientific issues (SSI) have been found to improve scientific literacy skills among K – 12 students. Many K-12 educators, however, are reluctant to implement SSI during science instruction due to a lack of confidence with content knowledge concerning SSI and concerns regarding their pedagogical abilities to facilitate SSI. There is an existing body of research focused on helping teachers overcome these apprehensions through pedagogically focused approaches, such as methods courses that include microteaching, adapting existing curricula, and experiencing SSI through a pedagogical lens. With an overwhelming concern focused on content knowledge, it is logical to consider how science teacher educators might leverage a content-focused approach to professional learning experiences with SSI. In this study, I explored how middle grades teachers engaged with SSI as they participated in a master’s level earth science content course. Exploring SSI through this lens allowed me to identify how a content course that covers multiple topics could include SSI as well as how receptive middle grades teachers were to this approach. Pre- and post- course questionnaires and weekly pre-post discussion board responses were collected and analyzed to determine how well the SSI approach to earth science worked for these participants. Analysis revealed the middle grades teachers felt the SSI approach to delivering earth science content allowed for deeper interaction of the scientific concepts. All participants planned to incorporate SSI into their own classrooms, and while there was initial resistance to the approach for argumentation, at the completion of the course participants recognized the value of engaging with opposing viewpoints. This study has implications for how science teacher educators may leverage a content-focused professional learning experience for SSI-instruction development.

Abstract:

Verbal communication to relay information between students and the teacher, i.e. talk, lies at the heart of all science classrooms. This study investigated and began to characterize the neurological basis for the talk between science teachers and students in terms of speaker-listener coupling in a naturalistic setting. Speaker-listener coupling is the time-locked moment in which speaker vocalizations result in activity in the listeners brain. This activity is highly predictive and tightly ties to listener understanding. The design for this study was an observational stimulus-response study using neuroimaging data obtained from talk sessions between a teacher and a student. Results were obtained using a functional near-infrared spectrometer and an artificial neural network model. Examination of the data suggested that speaker-listener coupling occurs between a student and a teacher during successfully understood verbal communications. This study promotes further research into the exploration of how individual interactions between persons (speakers and listeners) via talk are perceived and influence individual cognition. Study outcomes suggest coupled brains create new knowledge and integrate practices and content. The simplicity of brain-to-brain coupling as a reference system may simplify the understanding of behaviors seen during the learning of science in the classroom.

Abstract:

While preservice elementary teachers bring valuable resources to their teaching of basic physics, prior research has consistently suggested that they often lack subject matter knowledge and tend to operate in their classrooms with a limited working knowledge of the everyday ideas that their students hold. They also tend to be less confident in their ability to teach physics compared to the life sciences, and often struggle to describe teaching strategies that could be used to teach core physics concepts well. Our poster describes the development and usability testing of a mouse-driven simulation for the teaching of core force and motion concepts. The study was exploratory and descriptive in nature (i.e. not inferential) and involved a 

convenience sample (N = 21) of undergraduate elementary education pre-service teachers. A mouse-driven interactive simulation was built using Unity 5.6.7 and deployed as a browser-based WebGL project. Immediately after interacting with the simulation, we asked users a series of questions regarding both general usability and the targeted science ideas. While users seemed to understand what the simulation was trying to help them re-learn, after engaging with it many still held incomplete understandings of the concepts (the relationship between velocity and acceleration in particular). This underscores the need for science teacher educators to zero in on the development of relation-based reasoning and mechanistic explaining when working with pre-service teachers. 

Abstract:

This study provides a systematic and comprehensive review of school garden-based learning (GBL) research from 1989-2019, with a goal of summarizing the current knowledge base and providing guidance for future curriculum development and research. This review reports the outcomes of 78 empirical studies that focused on GBL and science instruction and identifies trends in the research over time. The researchers identified three specific voids in the literature. First, no previous studies used a sequence of instructional activities and strategies or curricula that were widely available to teachers and researchers, which greatly limits broader implementation and the resulting overall impacts of GBL. Second, very few previous GBL research studies looked at the impact of garden based experiences over an extended period (i.e., multiple growing seasons). Finally, no previous studies proposed and tested a research-based, STEAM integrated model or curriculum for GBL. Designs of future studies should address these unmet needs.

Abstract:

This project focuses on pre-service teacher (PST) science teaching development by investigating the ways in which PST science teaching identity is represented throughout methods course experiences. We ask (1) In what ways do PSTs represent their science teacher identity through elementary science methods coursework? And (2) What methods course experiences do PSTs describe as contributing to their science teacher identity development? Data was collected from a modified Dimensions of Attitudes towards Science (M-DAS) survey, PST science teacher models, written science teacher perspectives, and learning logs. Preliminary data analysis reveals that student attitudes towards science teaching tended to shift from reluctant towards promising and high potential. Participants began to consider and represent the difficulty of teaching science while they considered their roles as science teachers. PSTs represented multiple methods of science teaching with increasing complexity and variety throughout the semester. Course experiences that asked participants to critically consider their role as science teachers contributed to their development of science teacher identity. Pulling from in-person class discussions and learning experiences allowed them to apply resources to the construction of learning plans and unit-level storylines. Additionally, experiences that challenged them to reconsider what science teaching and learning can look like (such as class discussion models and nature journal projects) altered the way they considered what elementary science education can look like. 

Abstract:

Given the barriers of learning when epistemological beliefs are more traditional, this research seeks to examine how historical short stories with explicit and reflective questions targeting epistemological beliefs concepts may help students develop more sophisticated domain-general and domain-specific science epistemological beliefs (EBs). In this presentation, the results and implications of three related studies will be shared. 

In the first study, 189 8th grade science students’ domain-general and domain-specific science EBs were measured using the Schommer-Aikins et al. (2000) middle-level version of the epistemological questionnaire and Conley et al. (2004) epistemological beliefs survey. After exploratory factor analysis with principle components and varimax rotation, four factors emerged, each as a combination of hypothesized EBs factors. All factors were moderately or weakly correlated, indicating students may have had difficulty differentiating between EBs.

In the last two studies, three teachers guided 8th grade science students through the use of science historical short stories highlighting epistemological ideas. The students were randomly assigned by the researcher to one of two groups, treatment or control, with the treatment group working through two science historical short stories with embedded explicit/reflective questions about domain-general EBs. The control group received the same stories with questions focused on science content. Students’ domain-general and domain-specific science EBs were measured three times; exploratory factor analysis was conducted each time, generating five factors. The students’ beliefs did not improve in any of the analysis-generated factors, but did improve when measuring domain-general EBs as a whole. Despite the short treatment, students’ EBs were susceptible to change, and an increase persisted at the extended posttest. However, the domain-specific beliefs did not improve. In some cases, there were statistically significant declines in the EBs of both groups. Implications and future directions are discussed.

Abstract:

One of the biggest challenges facing regular classroom teachers is meeting the learning needs of all students. This challenge has implications for teacher education because teacher educators play a critical role in helping teacher candidates build a strong foundation for meeting a wide range of learning needs and establishing inclusive classrooms.

We examined the views of Canadian science teacher educators (STEs) in relation to inclusion. Limited research examines STEs and inclusion, so our study was designed to: describe STEs’ conceptions of inclusion; document theories, principles, and concepts that guide participating STEs’ work related to inclusion; and investigate how contextual factors enhance or hinder participating STEs’ adoption of inclusive pedagogy.

We adopted a sequential, mixed methods explanatory design. In Phase 1, we collected data via a national online survey with closed and open items. In Phase 2, we are collecting data via interviews, to further inform our understanding of Phase 1 data.

Our 39 respondents’ conceptions of inclusion focused on equity, belonging, and participation of all students. Respondents reported being less aware of queer theory, strength-based responses, and feminist theory, and being very aware of collaborative learning, constructivist learning, and inquiry. Collaborative learning, constructivist learning, and inquiry were also rated as highly influential theories and frameworks; however, Differentiated Instruction was rated as most influential. STEs reported relying heavily on instructional approaches such as predict-observe-explain, nature of science pedagogy, and problem- and project-based learning, with limited reliance on tiering and response-to-intervention. Science teacher educators identified contextual factors that both facilitate and hinder their adoption of inclusive practices. Facilitating factors include small classes, collaborative relationships amongst preservice students, and working with special education faculty. Hindering factors include large classes, lack of collaborative time, and external regulations.

Abstract:

Climate change is an urgent problem with far-reaching environmental and human impacts. Climate change mitigation and adaptation will require collective, global action based on the work of climate scientists, and education is critical for preparing a knowledgeable citizenry capable of individual and collective action. Given the abundance and range in quality of information and messaging about climate change, an educated citizenry must learn to identify trustworthy sources of information. This mixed methods study attempts to characterize secondary teachers’ trust in climate science and scientists and to determine how trust in climate science and scientists is approached in the classroom. The quantitative sample consisted of 86 Northeast Ohio secondary science teachers, and the interview sample included 26 of those who had completed the survey. Quantitative survey instruments ascertained teachers’ trust in science and scientists, attitude toward climate change, and climate change teaching practices. Qualitative interview approaches allowed a subset of surveyed teachers to further explain their ideas about trust in science, climate change views, and how trust in science and scientists is approached in their teaching, if at all. Data analysis included descriptive statistic analysis and non-parametric tests used to ascertain relationships and differences among groups. Findings include that a majority of teachers discussed climate change in their classes, with more than half indicating increasing student trust in science as an instructional goal. Teachers’ own trust in science and scientists, their attitudes toward climate change, and the extent to which they include trust as an instructional goal were all correlated. Qualitative findings indicate teachers’ concerns about student mistrust of science for climate change, evolution, and vaccination. Several teachers described teaching about NOS and scientific practices to increase student trust in science and scientists. Implications for professional development and teacher preparation are discussed.

Abstract:

Engaging in scientific investigations is widely accepted as important in K12 science education. The goals of planning and carrying out investigations (PCOI) are to develop and test theories and explanation of how the world works (NRC, 2012). Through PCOI, students are able to understand and explain the natural world as well as understand how that knowledge is generated by scientists. Research has identified difficulties teachers face in implementing PCOI effectively, such as supporting students in developing questions that could be investigated and identifying appropriate data collection strategies (Merrit et al., 2018). We note, however, that studies have largely assumed that teachers themselves possess the content, procedural, and epistemic knowledge of the practices they hope for students to learn. That is, we know little about preservice teachers’ ‘grasp of practice’ (Ford, 2008) in relation to PCOI. 

We used exploratory case study (Baxter & Jack, 2008) to examine a preservice teacher’s grasp of PCOI in the context of two different disciplinary topics – animal classification and force and motion. We were interested in understanding 1) what kinds of investigations does a preservice teacher plan and implement in her teaching? and 2) in what ways does the preservice teacher enact these investigations with students? Data sources included lesson plans, classroom observations, and post-teaching interviews. 

Differences in the activities planned for the two disciplinary contexts reflected the preservice teachers’ interpretation of ‘investigation’ as a pedagogical approach, and equation of investigation with ‘experiment’. Across both topics, the goal of the activity for students was to provide the correct answer, rather than to test an explanation or theory. None of the activities aimed at developing students’ procedural nor epistemic knowledge, and might be more closely described as ‘lab activities’ (Windschitl, 2017). We argue that preservice teachers’ grasp of practice for PCOI will likely have consequences for their enactment of other practices as well. 

Abstract:

In this project, action research is used with preservice teachers to develop their teaching skills over the course of a full-year residency in one placement. A single embedded case study design was employed to focus on how effective action research is for preservice teachers of STEM disciplines to improve their teaching practice. Research into the impact of the use of action research in teacher education indicates that preservice teachers can benefit significantly from engaging in the process of action research.  Two preservice teachers were in a course on action research taught by Author One. These two preservice teachers were focused on because of their similarities in programming and selecting the same topic to investigate.  The preservice teachers were given the opportunity to select their research methodology; both preservice teachers chose to investigate how to build classroom community. This paper found that preservice teachers found action research to help them develop as teachers by getting to know their students better and also focus on being student-centered, not just thinking about their own pedagogy.  Also, we found that PSTs need ample time to make the most of action research during an intensive residency, also to all for multiple cycles of data collection and readjusting their plan of action research. We expect that those who attend this session will walk away with an understanding of the perception and challenges of preservice teachers in the action research process while implementing them in their classroom. This research can help inform teacher educators as they work to prepare future teachers and support in-service teachers in the action research process while implementing it in their classroom. This work contributes to the small but increasing body of knowledge regarding the AR process within pre-service teacher education. This study suggests that benefits can be derived from engaging candidates in action research as a part of their teacher preparation. It should be noted that this work was completed during the pandemic. 

Abstract:

Electronic portfolios (ePortfolios) are widely used in collegiate STEM courses and preservice teacher education programs. However, there is a dearth of research on the use of ePortfolios as an evaluation tool for STEM inservice teacher professional development (PD). We present the results of using an ePortfolio as an evaluation tool for an integrated STEM PD. Participants for this study were K-16 faculty who participated in the National Science Foundation-funded STEM Guitar Faculty PD Institutes. Data were obtained from two sources: faculties’ ePortfolios, which were submitted at the end of the week-long STEM Guitar Institute, and teachers’ responses to questions about their ePortfolio use from a survey that is part of a larger retrospective study for all STEM Guitar Institute alumni. Participants highlighted processes such as headstock design, painting/finishing, and challenging components of the build process such as soldering and intonation. Faculty reflected upon the STEM Guitar Institute and identified their top three take-aways from the week. Emergent themes include the importance of being willing to try new things, students can successfully build guitars, and there are many STEM curricular connections to the guitar. Faculty appreciated the opportunity to be a student and reflect upon their teaching practices. Faculty from the 2020 virtual Institutes noted it was beneficial to have problem-based integrated STEM instruction modeled in a virtual setting. Quantitative responses from the survey are reported using descriptive statistics. Over two-thirds (67.65%) of faculty reported referring back to their portfolios as they implemented the STEM Guitar Program at their school. Over half showed their ePortfolios to their students (56%) and other teachers or administration (59%). Finally, over a quarter (27%) of teachers adopted the use of ePortfolios in their classroom. These results have implications for PD providers. Not only are ePortfolios an informative and useful evaluation tool for PD providers, they are also useful for faculty beyond the PD opportunity.

Abstract:

Globally, Indigenous People are marginalized and underrepresented in STEM professional fields. These issues are reflected in the larger culture in which schools educate students. For example, many textbooks are mass-marketed, created for majority populations, instead of responding in a culturally relevant way to any specific gender or ethnic group (Davison & Miller, 1998). It may lead to the marginalization of ideas and language that represent the culture of Indigenous people. Furthermore, when instruction only occurs within one cultural context, students from other cultures are placed at a learning disadvantage (Davison & Miller, 1998).

According to Aikenhead and Huntley (1999), science is the knowledge, skills, and values shared in the scientific community. Pickering (1992) explains that science is a subculture of Western culture reflecting a Eurocentric worldview. Students whose lifeworlds are not characterized by a Eurocentric worldview need to cross-cultural borders from their everyday culture into the school science culture. The difficult and insurmountable boundary crossing can cause students to avoid science classes (Costa, 1995). At the same time, reforms need to emphasize the restructuring of schools and/or curricula in ways that fit the lifeworld of students.

The research highlighted in this study took place with an effort to develop an Ethnic education curriculum in a high school in Taiwan. The Ethnic Education curriculum is grounded in the cultural characteristics of the Tao peoples, providing knowledge that belongs to this population and its students.

The core of the curriculum is the Indigenous Tao language and culture. It is designed, planned, and co-taught by interdisciplinary teachers. The purpose of this paper is to explore how the teachers and researchers work together to design, develop, and evaluate the Ethnic education curriculum in a way students can learn scientific content knowledge and scientific inquiry alongside learning Indigenous Knowledge (IK) in ethnic education.

Abstract:

This exploratory session is designed as a continuation of an incubator for teachers of middle grades and/or high school science methods courses that began at ASTE 2021 to share tools and resources to support middle grades/high school preservice teachers in their pedagogical development as teachers of science. We will facilitate a discussion among science teacher educator peers to contribute experiences, curate educational technology tools and resources, and critique frameworks for integrating educational technology into secondary science teacher preparation. Participants will be asked to engage in a design thinking exercise to consider how we might continue using educational technology in the future based on what we learned from the past year. We will share a electronically recorded discussion of our reflections (using a Google slide deck or Jamboard) with the committee to update the ASTE Position Statement on Educational Technology.

Abstract:

This qualitative study used critical discourse analysis to examine how mainstreaming of students with disabilities was represented in a textbook designed for use in secondary science instructional methods courses in teacher education. Critical discourse analysis is a methodological approach that probes texts for underlying assumptions that naturalize implicit power-knowledge relations and legitimize socio-political control, particularly where social, political, and cultural dynamics result in hegemony (Van Dijk, 1993). The textbook analyzed was Pearson’s most recent edition of Teaching Secondary School Science: Strategies for Developing Scientific Literacy by Bybee, Carlson Powell, and Trowbridge. This book, first published in 1967 and currently in its 9^th edition (2014), was selected because it is well-established in the field of secondary science teacher education in the United States. Relying primarily on Fairclough’s post-structurally informed approach to critical discourse analysis (1992, 2003), the analysis techniques actualized in this study draw on Fairclough’s three-dimensional critical discourse analysis framework and integrate elements of grammatical and semantic analysis drawn from Halliday’s Systemic Functional Linguistics (1978, 1994). The analysis showed that the textbook naturalized a medical/deficit model of disability and portrayed the mainstreaming of students with disabilities as a burdensome problem that new teachers must face. Implications for science teacher education include calling into question curriculum planning approaches that focus on the mythical average or “normal” student, supplemented with planning for “exceptional” students. Instead, science teacher educators are encouraged to examine DSE-oriented approaches to curriculum planning such as the Universal Design for Learning framework (CAST, 2018) that plans for learner diversity from the start. Second, this study challenges the dichotomous categorization of students as normal/exceptional, and calls for conceptions of student diversity that are more varied, inclusive, and nuanced.

Abstract:

What might happen with student achievement if elementary teacher education programs more often included structured opportunities for preservice teachers to learn how to effectively reflect on their teaching practice? There is evidence showing that students with teachers that have high self-efficacy and high rates of meaningful reflection experience higher academic. Unfortunately, elementary teachers notoriously have low self-efficacy and low rates of meaningful reflection, particularly in science. This problem was explored using a constructivist approach coupled with positive psychology in a preservice elementary teacher science methods course. The teacher educator used modeling and integration of structured teaching practice reflection through group discussion with the cohort of elementary preservice teachers throughout the semester. By the end of the semester, after multiple group discussions, there were some interesting observations. The elementary preservice teachers reported improved attitudes towards teaching science and positively regarded the group reflection experiences. These observations may prompt research in using a social, positive psychology approach to improve teacher self-efficacy in science and teaching practice reflection rates.

Abstract:

This exploratory session will address the unique issues related to Women in Science Education.We will specifically engage in practices to discuss how networks support innovative practices, can be used to develop strengths. We will review the relationship between innovation and transformational leadership. Specifically we will work on how emotional intelligence can be a useful skill to be a positive leader, and how examining your current networks can help you to generate more productive and fruitful opportunities for growth and mentoring in your roles. Specific attention will be given to the tenets of the nature of science in our analysis and discussions.

Abstract:

Questions play a critical role in teaching, but there is a lack of research on supporting science teachers in learning to ask productive classroom questions. Many studies show that both learners and teachers benefit from using self-regulated learning (SRL) processes to facilitate learning and teaching. Teachers need to learn from practice because the knowledge to teach cannot be fully obtained before or apart from practice. Teaching tasks such as lesson planning can facilitate such learning. The present study examined how preservice science teachers (PSTs) used three key SRL subprocesses (goal setting, metacognitive monitoring, self-evaluation) while planning questions for their lessons. The participants were 11 PSTs. This is a descriptive study with research data triangulated among classroom artifacts (lesson plans, slides, worksheets), reflective writings, and semi-structured interviews. Questions in the lesson plans helped evaluate how well the participants planned their questions. Reflective writings and interviews helped understand how PSTs used the three key SRL subprocesses while planning questions. Results show that most of the questions the participants planned for their lessons were of low quality focusing mostly on recall. The participants did not use the SRL subprocesses well in planning their questions. They set unclear goals for planning questions and the goals were not achieved. The way the PSTs self-monitored their process of planning questions misaligned with their goals. Furthermore, the participants did not self-evaluate their performance until after teaching. Based on these results, we argue that fostering PSTs’ ability to implement SRL for their learning from planning questions has the potential to improve the quality of questions they ask in the classroom.

Abstract:

To support science learning outdoors, nature journaling can be used as a tool that offers an accessible way to engage in natural phenomena in the place where students are located. In the time of accountability measures in public education, it is imperative that elementary science teachers connect student learning to standards-based initiatives such as the NGSS. We argue that nature journal prompts can work to engage students in the CCC. This qualitative study seeks to identify opportunities for nature journaling tasks to engage learners in the CCC by analyzing six distinct nature journaling tasks completed by elementary pre-service teachers during the 2020-2021 academic year. Initial analysis indicates that nature journaling tasks can provide multiple opportunities to engage learners in the CCC. Tasks that encourage questioning provided opportunities for learners to engage in cause and effect while learners inquired about and investigated underlying causes. Scale, proportion and quantity emerged through recording detailed observations of the phenomenon, both relative and precise measurement helped learners compare objects as well as identify describing features. Additionally learners incorporated scale and relative magnitude. Structure and function presented both as learners described initial observations of natural phenomena as well as through additional research where learners worked to identify the function of specific structures of living organisms. Tasks that focused learners on describing specific details as well as looking for similarities and differences helped to highlight patterns that learners identified in the natural world. Tasks that required the identification of a specific boundary allowed learners to consider the system and system models by considering a group of related objects and indicating relationship between parts within the system. Secondary coding explicitly defines and describes the ways in which the CCC are supported and aims to provide scaffolded support for how teachers can use these tasks to engage learners in the CCC.

Abstract:

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought new saliency to educational efforts to promote scientific literacy and ensure that every person has the capacity to make effective personal decisions and participate in civic affairs. Particularly, the social discourse surrounding the pandemic—from the effectiveness of preventative measures to the distribution of vaccines—has highlighted the complexity with which the everyday person must understand how science is constructed, communicated, and carried out in order to be functionally literate in this era. Much of this complexity centers on the social and political dimensions of science. However, current approaches in mainstream science education—including the Next Generation Science Standards—at times fail to adequately address these “human” dimensions of science. In this paper, we present a theoretical argument that Environmental Education can improve science teaching and learning in the COVID-19 era by helping science educators address critical human dimensions of science. We begin with a comparative analysis of the main dimensions of Environmental Education and science education. Emergent themes from this analysis are critiqued in light of issues of science/scientific literacy. After this, we summarize three case studies of critical issues to which the pandemic has drawn critical attention and in which Environmental Education can support science education. These build on recent work on justice-centered education in the COVID-19 pandemic. From a socioscientific issues perspective, contextual and cultural features are crucial to scientific inquiry and social decision-making. Likewise, in Environmental Education, solutions to socioscientific issues are not determined solely on the basis of scientific data. However, science education often struggles with recognizing and addressing the social contexts in which science is produced and applied. Environmental Education can speak to this need and offer potential solutions for how to bring the human dimensions of science back into science education.

Abstract:

This presentation will include the steps to create co-planning collaborative spaces for preservice special education and preservice content-area teachers to work alongside one another to plan and implement strategy-based instruction in diverse teaching environments. A nested model of instruction will be presented along with reflections from the field.

Participation in this exploratory session will allow conference attendees to not only learn our outcomes and discuss them, but to also try out our methods. We will feature 5 centers, and each participant will choose 3 (10 minutes each) followed by Q&A discussion of 15 minutes: topics will include 1)Using NGSS Performance Expectations to Drive Instruction for Students with IEPs 2) Explaining Our Model of Collaborative Planning Among Special Education and Science Education 3) Strategy learning- Social Emotional Learning- Fist to Five; and Whole Group Response Systems 4)  Is STEM for All? 5)“Did you know…?”,  ask any question or propose a problem of practice.

Abstract:

With the rapid switch to remote learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic science teachers were suddenly required to teach their classes online. This breakneck shift to eLearning raised the question of how teacher educators could support science teachers who wanted to use reform-based methods of instruction while using virtual technologies. In this retrospective self-study we, two science teacher educators, examined our practice as we worked with science teachers to implement inquiry, discussion, and argumentation [IDA] through eLearning. Ten high school science teachers from a large school district in the southeastern US participated virtually in the COVID-19 Community of Practice [COVID-19 CoP]. The CoP met six times from the end of April through May 2020 via Zoom. Its structure was based on a model of action research called enhanced normal practice [ENP], which includes exchanging stories, trying out ideas, and systematic inquiry. Data sources included teacher educators' meeting notes and reflective conversations, audio recordings of the CoP meetings, teachers' products, and post-interviews of the teachers. Findings included a new understanding the role existing relationships, shared goals, and similarities in the participants' situations helped build trust in the CoP; and the effects of our paying attention to the science teachers’ needs led to a well-functioning CoP. In addition, we became aware of the gaps in our knowledge of how the teachers already used apps in their practice, which they then shared with all of us about how they could be used for online teaching using IDA. We also identified the need to pay attention to feelings about tensions between us and the teachers around the expectations for final products and the primary goals of the project. We found that if we are to establish relationships between us as facilitators and teachers that are honest, fair, and kind, we must express those feelings within the collective, dialogical processes that can lead to learning by all members of the CoP, whether virtual or face-to-face.

Abstract:

International teaching assistants (ITAs) teach many undergraduate science courses and laboratories in U.S. universities where they play an important role in defining the quality of science teaching. The process of becoming an effective ITA, however, is not necessarily an easy one. Research shows that ITAs face significant challenges such as adjusting to differences in language, communication, culture and context. These challenges are exacerbated by large-scale societal challenges; such as a worldwide pandemic. While there is a significant number of self-studies exploring the experience of becoming a new science teacher educator, there is little research on the challenges, dilemmas, and frustrations that ITAs experience in becoming a new science teacher education and no research on such experiences occurring during major educational disruptions such as a pandemic. This study used a self-study methodology to explore the challenges and struggles of an ITA as she taught an inquiry-based science course for undergraduate students during a worldwide pandemic. The research questions were: (1) How did the ITA maneuver the necessary pandemic-related adjustments to course instruction, and (2) How did existing linguistic and socio-cultural differences between the ITA and students impact her experiences of teaching during the pandemic? The data collection for this study included: 1) an instructor’s journal, 2) critical-friend interviews, 3) observations, and 4) written documents. All data was transcribed, organized and then analyzed using thematic analysis. Among other things, this self-study revealed the ways in which the pandemic situation exacerbated the linguistic, socio-cultural and contextual challenges of ITAs’ teaching in the U.S. universities. This study also indicated that science teaching and learning materials and curriculum still require to be designed in an interactive and meaningful way which will help ITAs as well as science educators to transform the science content courses to deliver remotely without compromising academic quality and standards.

Abstract:

The Next Generation Science Standards call upon elementary teachers to teach evolutionary concepts as early as third grade, but they receive little preservice preparation to teach evolution, despite it being the unifying theory of biology. Using the Teaching for Transformative Experiences in Science (TTES) model, we redesigned an introductory biology course and then investigated the extent to which a redesigned course fostered preservice teachers’ transformative experiences (i.e., active use, expansion of perception, experiential value). Quantitative data were gathered using the Transformative Experience Survey (TES) at the end of the semester and 4-6 months later. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were conducted on students’ mean responses overall and on each type of transformative experience to compare sample medians to a hypothetical median of 4, representing “slightly agree” on the Likert scale. Participants engaged in all types of transformative experiences at the end of the course but only expansion of perception remained statistically significant in the follow-up. Participants did not consciously value their evolutionary knowledge nor actively use it, but their perceptions of the world continued to be enriched by the evolutionary principles they had learned in the redesigned course. Qualitative data were gathered in open-ended responses of the TES and interviews conducted post-course and 4-6 months later. Qualitative coding of interview transcripts was conducted using a codebook composed of a priori codes, augmented with emergent codes that arose from this dataset. Qualitative analyses indicate that preservice teachers view their new evolutionary knowledge as directly relevant to their teaching careers and many aspects of their lives. To highlight relationships between transformative experience types, evolutionary principles, and emergent themes, our talk will describe Miranda (pseudonym), a case study in which a preservice teacher’s transformative experiences regarding evolution leads her reconceptualize her pets, notions of race and racism, and her own identity.

Abstract:

Emotions are core aspects of teachers’ daily work (Schutz & Zembylas, 2009). However, little attention has been paid to teachers’ emotions as they undergo instructional change, especially change triggered by reform and supported through professional development. Teachers tend to experience strong emotions, often negative, to these mandated changes. Research has shown that PD often does not lead to teachers’ improved knowledge and practices (Whitworth & Chiu, 2015), nor enhanced student outcomes which may be due to inconsistent implementation by teachers. Thus, understanding teachers’ experiences in science-focused PD can serve as a powerful tool to lay the groundwork for future design of PD. In particular, understanding the intersection of emotion, teacher engagement and teacher learning may provide insight into how and why PD content does or does not get translated into practices. In this paper, we examine the emotional experiences of four elementary teachers of science who participated in a two-year (PD) program that employed an individualized coaching model [Holistic Individualized Coaching (HIC)]. Coaching served to support the teachers in learning about and integrating science representations in their teaching. We explore four elementary teachers’ emotional experiences in relation to four aspects of HIC, as well as students’ thinking, and the reasons that underlay these emotional experiences. Results showed that teachers had overwhelming positive emotions related to coaching and to students’ science thinking during the coached lessons. Reasons were categorized in teacher-, student- and coach-focused all foregrounding the ways in which the teachers felt coaching supported them professionally, psychologically and affectively. Findings underscores the importance of attending to teacher emotions and other psychological factors as teachers undergo instructional change.

Abstract:

These three papers describe the SESI ExpAND project with in-service teachers during the first year of a four-year NSF grant. Each site [PA/DE, TX, WA] conducted professional development (PD) with the aim of introducing teachers to ArcGIS to build confidence in using the software with students and to begin development of socio-environmental science investigations (SESIs). The project employed a design partnership between science and social studies teacher educators/researchers and high school teachers in rural, urban, and suburban settings. Paper 1 - Teachers learning with GIS while learning about GIS: 2020-2021 PD. A collaborative team of three universities was notified of NSF grant funding in February 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic created many unknowns. Rather than traditional PD and on-site interactions with teachers and students, all PD was conducted via Zoom with no in-person interactions with classroom teachers or students. We explain changes to the original PD plan and the consequences of some of the changes. Paper 2 - Adapting to online professional development and curriculum development to promote geospatial inquiry. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic forced us to re-visit intended models of curriculum design and development, PD, and students’ use of technology for online learning environments. This paper reports on our fully online PD process and the SESI investigations that were developed and implemented by the participating teachers in two urban high schools. Paper 3 - Designing virtual professional development to motivate teachers’ implementation of ArcGIS. As part of the project collaboration, university faculty partnered with two high schools to implement ArcGIS. This presentation will give an overview of the changes made in the PD in response to the virtual environments during COVID-19. We will describe how our partnerships with teachers were developed and how support was provided for the teachers during the pandemic using virtual communication. We developed place-based activities and engaged teachers in learning about SESI investigations.

Abstract:

Since self-efficacy (SE) was introduced in Bandura’s (1977) social cognitive theory, researchers and teacher educators have paid special attention to increasing teachers’ SE because of purported links to a variety of positive student and teacher outcomes. However, researchers (e.g., Wheatley, 2002, 2005) have questioned the meaning and value of PSTs’ high SE as doubts are not necessarily problematic, but instead can foster reflection and learning. Moreover, researchers (e.g., Klassen et al., 2011) recommend employing qualitative methodologies that contextualize PSTs’ beliefs alongside explanations of the sources and foci of their SE beliefs. Therefore, as part of a larger project (PSTs collaborating with undergraduate engineering students), this study explores what aspects of designing and teaching an engineering design lesson led PSTs to feel particularly efficacious and non-efficacious.

This study used quantitative (5-point Likert-scale SE survey; n = 68) and qualitative data (reflection questions; n = 63) from Fall 2019 or Spring 2020 to explore the factors of PSTs’ engineering teaching SE. Overall, PSTs showed a significant increase in their SE for teaching engineering after designing and teaching an engineering lesson to elementary students. Using Yoon and Evans’ (2012) Teaching Engineering Self-efficacy Scale (TESS) and theoretical framework, we found that PSTs most often expressed confidence related to instructional (i.e., explaining a specific stage of the engineering design process) and engagement (i.e., engaging students from informal conversations) aspects of teaching engineering while expressing low confidence in their engineering (or coding) content knowledge following their engagement in the project. Several other aspects of teaching engineering SE (i.e., lesson planning) were also found. Based on the findings, we encourage teacher educators and researchers to examine the focus of PSTs’ SE in teaching engineering using qualitative data to help ensure that PSTs are prepared and confident in all aspects of teaching.

Abstract:

Students from historically under-resourced, urban schools are underrepresented in science careers on a national level. To address this disparity in access to STEM engagement and awareness of possible science careers, we must create learning opportunities by empowering teachers with tools and exposing students, from early on, to the many possibilities that STEM learning has to offer. Fifth grade is considered a critical age at which decisions for lifelong science-related career choices are formed. To expand participation in place-based STEM activities in a mid-western urban school system with a high proportion of under-served and under-represented students, this project provided participating fifth grade teachers and their students with learning opportunities at a public Aquarium.  Hands-on workshops for teachers and Aquarium field trips and activities for students are designed to spark excitement in STEM and to start students down a pathway to science-related careers.

Abstract:

Online instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic presented new challenges to science teachers, including how to incorporate authentic, hands-on, collaborative learning experiences via Zoom instruction. In this mixed-methods study, a first-year science teacher was provided with curriculum resources, materials resources, and coaching support to implement an integrated STEM unit focused on science concepts related to force and motion. We address the research questions:

1. How, if at all, do the teaching practices of a first-year teacher shift when coaching and integrated STEM curriculum materials are provided during the COVID-19 pandemic?
2. How, if at all, do a first-year teacher’s perceptions of teaching and learning shift when implementing an integrated STEM curriculum unit with coaching support?

Quantitative data analysis of teaching practices based on the Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP) revealed that the teacher demonstrated statistically significant greater use of student-centered, reform-based instructional practices during the STEM unit versus a comparison unit. Qualitative findings reveal both challenges and opportunities associated with integrated STEM instruction in an online context. Implications for teacher learning are considered.

Abstract:

Micro-credentials are being taken up in various higher education settings as an alternative credentialing model. The use of micro-credentialing in teacher professional development has recently expanded. UTeach Maker (https://maker.uteach.utexas.edu) is an optional micro-credentialing program that grew out of a National Science Foundation Noyce Teacher Scholarship grant awarded to the UTeach program at The University of Texas at Austin (Award 1557155). This session with unpack the four central features of the UTeach Maker program and discuss how the model can be adapted to support micro-credentialing initiatives in other contexts. The UTeach Maker micro-credentialing model was designed around four pillars that enable flexibility and customization to suit the needs and context of the participants. These include: (1) an open portfolio and external review, (2) a supportive community, (3) skill-building, and (4) a personalized experience. Through these collective efforts, UTeach Maker supports both preservice and practicing teachers as they develop a network of like-minded colleagues, create a personalized portfolio of their work, improve their professional practice, and become more appealing to employers. Participants will explore the pillars of the program, have the chance to see samples of student work, and have an opportunity to discuss opportunities for micro-credentialing in their own context. This round table presentation should be of interest to anyone interested in exploring the world of micro-credentialing as it connects to STEM teacher preparation.

Abstract:

The science teaching community has been working with the science practices for almost a decade. To better understand how preservice elementary teachers perceive the science practices, this study focuses on the beliefs and connections that they make between the practices, teaching, and learning. Teaching science by engaging students in science practices fits well into a situated framework of learning by helping students to participate in authentic science work and social interactions. This study followed a group of preservice elementary teachers from a physics content course, into a science methods course, and through their student teaching. We collected data in the form of preservice teacher generated lesson plans, interviews, and videorecords of teaching enactments. To understand the preservice teachers’ sensemaking about teaching and learning with the practices, we developed themes through open coding the answers they gave in interviews after their lesson planning and teaching experiences. The preservice teachers’ beliefs and perceptions include the following themes: teaching (Build Student Understanding, Useful Framework/Tool, Wide Engagement, Skills Beyond Science, Teach Practices Explicitly, and Develop Scientific Skills); learning (Autonomy & Curiosity, Hands-on & Visible Science, Chance for Reflection, Multiple Avenues for Learning, and Equation Based Thinking). The focal preservice teachers’ ideas about why and how they used the science practices in their teaching changed little over the study. They made sophisticated connections between student learning and engaging in science practices, as well as connections to the situated nature of the science practices. This study adds to our understanding of preservice teachers’ beliefs by outlining these themes and by making connections between the preservice teachers’ perception of teaching and learning in science. As science teacher educators gain a better understanding of how preservice teachers perceive the science practices, they can better align their methods courses to support or modify those ideas.

Abstract:

In this study, the researcher used the lesson study method to improve their professional development and implement a curriculum guideline more accessible to K-12 scholars in the US. Lesson study is a professional development tool that allows educators to observe different teaching methods to gain knowledge and develop tools based on scholars' needs. The researcher has collaborated with different programs and schools in various states to understand the concerns to address the CS curriculum. Scratch, a block-based programming language, and Calq, an interpretive programming language were used for scholars to compare and contrast how coding statements outcomes vary for a deeper understanding. The purpose is for scholars to comprehend the statement through illustrations in Scratch and then apply them to culturally relevant scenarios in Calq. The focus of the guideline is to enable scholars the opportunity to express themselves through a coding platform, while differentiating between memorization and genuine knowledge of computing.

Abstract:

The practice of using “bellwork,” a teaching tool also known as “bell ringers” or “do nows,” can be observed in many middle and high school classrooms. The basic premise is simple: engage students in a short activity at the beginning of each class to help bring them out of the hallways and on task. In the 6-12 classroom, bellwork can serve a wide array of purposes, from encouraging timely attendance and prompting students to prepare for class, to formative assessment and exploring current events.

This poster shares developing work investigating how and to what extent this type of activity could be used to supplement the purpose of a science content course taken by preservice teachers. Data from a pilot study suggest that this daily activity can be utilized to engage students to think critically about pedagogical knowledge, science disposition, and the nature of science. 

The progression from modeling bellwork as a teacher’s tool in a preservice science content class to the development of a parallel supplemental curriculum informed by student feedback will be presented. Also shared will be insights as to how this became an evolving purpose rooted in learning theory. Finally, the methodology for further work investigating the promise of positioning preservice teachers as transitional learners from “student” to “adult” learners will be presented. Dialogue of the prospect of an emerging theory of change and its potential implications will be welcomed.

Abstract:

The cultural diversity of our K-12 classrooms has and continues to change. These changes challenge some of our preservice students who may come from very different backgrounds. The introduction of culturally responsive teaching as advocated by Gay (2000), Ladson-Billings (1994), and others into preparation programs helps preservice students better meet the needs of the diverse students in their classrooms.  In 2007, Siwatu developed a survey, based on the work of Bandura on self-efficacy and outcome expectancy, to ascertain whether an individual’s culturally responsive teaching (CRT) self-efficacy and outcome expectancy changed based on educational experiences. An explanatory mixed methods (Creswell, 2009) study was conducted using the CRTSE and CRTOE scales and interviews of participants to examine the impact of an MT preparation program on the participant’s CRT self-efficacy and outcome expectancy. Eight cohorts of students (n= 36) participated in the full study. Self-efficacy scores overall indicate an increase with more than half of the participant’s scores increasing. These scores indicate that participants believe that they can implement CRT practices. Outcome expectancy scores overall stayed about the same from the beginning to the end of the program. These findings indicate that the participants expect that teaching in culturally responsive ways will have positive outcomes. Analysis of interview data will provide further insights into factors leading to their scores and program components impacting these outcomes.

Abstract:

This study examined how an integrated preservice elementary education program used lesson study to deepen the practice and planning of scientific literacy intentional teaching during a practicum experience with the science methods. It was found that although preservice teachers (PST) could plan and deliver integrated teaching in a micro teaching setting, when they entered the field this did not occur. Although the PST program was intentional in the delivery of content and field experience, the connections were not made in the field despite the lesson study format.

Abstract:

Across the country, up to half of all teachers leave the profession within the first five years, and this rate is highest for math and science positions, for high poverty schools, and for Teachers of Color (Kelly, 2004). Teachers without adequate preparation leave the profession at 2-3 times the rate of other teachers, which has detrimental economic consequences for school districts and academic consequences for students (Ronfeldt et al., 2013; Watlington et al., 2010). In response to this need, certain teacher residency programs have adopted the “gold standard” in teacher education and professional learning for STEM teachers in order to increase the quality of teacher training especially for those serving underserved students and for teachers who themselves have underrepresented identities. Several characteristics of residency programs such as district partnerships, coursework, mentorship, diverse candidates, and financial support have been associated with improved teacher recruitment and retention as well as student outcomes (Guha et al., 2016). The purpose of the proposed study is to identify possible, emerging differences between STEM teachers in residency programs and teachers from other pathways. Specifically, the study seeks to identify differences in valued teacher outcomes in self-efficacy, commitment to teaching, technological pedagogy, and career satisfaction. This study included 15 teachers in a large urban school district on the west coast of the U.S. The findings suggest that teachers in the residency program reported significantly higher levels of commitment than their counterparts. Although non-significant, a higher percentage of teachers in the residency program reported either being involved or having an interest in pursuing leadership activities. All other findings were non-significant and future research is warranted due to the limitations of sample size and characteristics. 

Abstract:

This research focuses on teleological thinking about evolution in community college biology students.  Teleological thinking about evolution focuses on evolution as a process that has purpose and direction. We include qualitative results from student interviews conducted before and after an intervention directly addressing teleological thinking about evolution in hopes of increasing understanding and acceptance of evolution.  Preliminary results indicate that this method may assist some students but not all.  

Abstract:

Engaging in practicum is an important part in teacher education program as it provides prospective teachers opportunities of learning to teach in an authentic context. Understanding prospective teachers’ knowledge development in this context as they observe their mentor teachers will contribute to our understanding of how they learn and further provide adequate supports for them. The objectives of this study are to investigate a group of prospective science teachers’ knowledge development as describe by the PCK framework and to characterize their noticing in site-based teacher education courses which include practicum. This study also connects what and how prospective teachers noticing in their mentor teachers’ classes with their knowledge development. Results indicated that even though prospective teachers were put in the same context, they developed different PCK components, noticed various topics in diverse ways, and the ways they learned were different from each other. However, their knowledge development is dependent on what and how they noticed in the practicum. These results add to our understanding of teacher knowledge development in the practicum, which facilitated teacher educators to design adequate supports for their students.

Abstract:

This is an action research study generating an art-integrated STEAM activity planning method with primary school teachers. The study was conducted in participant teachers' classes in the 2018-2019 Educational Year in Osmaniye province Turkey. In the course of the study, the teachers as a research team tried to generate methods for art integrated STEM activity planning based on T>SM>E (Technology, Science-Math, Engineering) in the action research process in their classrooms. At the end of the action research process, the teachers generated the TA>SM>EA method and tested its functionality. It was founded that the model is practical and useful for interdisciplinary art integrated STEAM activity planning at the primary level. It can be used for planning art integrated STEAM activities by teachers teaching any class level.

Keywords: STEAM education, Interdisciplinary art integration model, Action research, Primary school, Teachers.

Abstract:

Implementing reform-based curriculum necessitates exploring teachers’ perceptions and experiences. Situating reform as teacher-centered provides an interpretive lens to explore the various ecological layers that comprise an ever-changing educational landscape. The Teacher-Centered Systemic Reform (TCSR) model situates teachers’ thinking and practice as central to systemic reform (Woodbury & Gess-Newsome, 2002). However, there is an array of contextual factors that (re-)shape and are shaped by teachers.

This study is derived from a multi-year NSF-funded research project: Integrating Chemistry and Earth Science. As part of that project, a group of classroom teachers are selected each year to serve as development team teachers (DTTs) receiving professional development and field-testing curriculum. One DTT (“Sally”) also served at the district-level while teaching one section of the course. This study seeks to explore the ecological levels of influence on a Sally’s enacting curricular reform, framed by two research questions: 1) What ecological levels among the educational landscape are prevalent in a teacher leader’s reflection? 2) How do these levels manifest in the teacher leader’s reflections on curricular reform implementation?

An interview with Sally was completed after implementing the curriculum. Using a directed content analysis, a coding scheme was used to analyze the interview transcript with 5 latent codes to reflect the various ecological levels of context flanking the central tenet of the TCSR model. Findings found a higher frequency of reflection at the individual teacher level despite most of her time spent at district-level, supporting curriculum development and implementation efforts. However, analysis reveals a confluence of personal experience and systemic aspects illustrating the breadth and depth needed to understand the complexity of reform. Results from this study emphasize the crucial role of teacher leaders in enacting reform within their classroom but also key stakeholders in systemic planning and implementation support.

Abstract:

This study examines the childhood environmental socialization (ES) experiences of two groups of undergraduates enrolled in a general education course, Nature and Youth. The course was designed to draw upon childhood experiences and activities in building comfort and connectedness to nature. The study includes an interdisciplinary approach to the review of relevant literature, representing the team of researchers that collaborated in the course design and who have conducted studies related to nature and play in outdoor spaces. Utilizing a convergent mixed methods design, we identify the childhood environmental socialization (ES) experiences of undergraduates and then highlight patterns between past nature experiences and present day connectedness to nature. Qualitative and quantitative survey data were collected and analyzed using convergent mixed methods design (Creswell & Plano-Clarke, 2018). Data includes 52 students’ survey responses to ES activity during childhood, their Attitudes Toward Outdoor Play (Beyer, Bizub, Szabo, Heller,  Kistner, Shawgo, & Zetts, 2015), and analyses of self-reported nature connections from the students’ nature autobiographies. Quantitative data from recollected ES experiences are used to identify students as either Low ES or High ES; once grouped, we further explore childhood experiences by frequency and type(s). The qualitative analysis expands upon the qualitative, resulting in patterns or themes from recollections of past to those experiences from the course. This study contributes to our understanding of what students are bringing to the classroom, their knowledge and access to content, activities and resources. We highlight the need for authentic, “playful” activities in nature during childhood and engaging science opportunities in and outside the walls of the classroom.

Abstract:

As the demographics of public K-12 schools continue to shift towards a wider and more diverse representation, it is critical for secondary science teachers to be supported to teach science that is culturally responsive to their students’ needs and communities. There are inequities in the education system that impact students based on race, ethnicity, culture, and wealth (Milner, 2013). Achievement statistics are lower for students of diverse racial, cultural, and economic backgrounds in science education (Brand, 2014; Lee & Buxton, 2010).

It is essential that teachers not only recognize, but respect and integrate the various attributes, experiences, and perspectives of students of culturally and ethnically diverse backgrounds (Gay, 2000, Ladson-Billings, 1995, Nieto, 2000). Science teachers can promote culturally responsive approaches in the biology, chemistry, physics, and earth science classrooms. Teachers need to do more than just recognize basic awareness of diversity; they need to adopt a more inclusive understanding of their students from diverse backgrounds (Moore, 2006).

Self-study enhanced my understanding and improved my practices for supervision for social justice with science teacher candidates. Five main practices for supervision will be presented. Additionally, the key learning that I gained as the supervisor and researcher will be shared. Finally, overarching conclusions emerged that present implication for the field. I will demonstrate a conceptual model I designed that presents the continuum for awareness, advocacy, and activism for social justice in science teaching. I will reveal the specific routines of practices, including integration of the arts.

The work for equitable teaching is applicable to all members in the realm of education. By continuing the collaboration, a broader understanding and commitment to the work can be enacted. I am interested in continuing this research with others in the field who may wish to conduct collaborative self-study in order to bring about a wider perspective on the work for social justice teaching in science.

Abstract:

Despite growing interest in inclusive education, there has been little attention to the inclusion of students with disabilities in teacher education. Walker (2018) emphasized that research by educators with disabilities about teachers with disabilities can provide vital information that may help improve support services for teachers with disabilities.  As a teacher educator who recently became single-sided deaf, and a preservice teacher who has had hearing loss since childhood, we contribute our voices to the gap in the literature. We situate our work in Disability Studies in Education (DSE), a framework that aims to “deepen understanding of the daily experiences of people with disabilities in schools and universities, throughout contemporary society across diverse cultures, and within various historical contexts. (Connor, Gabel, Gallagher, & Morton, 2008, p. 441). Through autoethnography, we draw on our lived experiences by identifying critical incidents in our (re)learning to teach science, contextualizing these within the broader issue of inclusion in teacher education. By identifying points of intersection and difference in our stories, we generated a list of four salient themes related to the notion of ‘inclusion’. While these themes figure prominently in both our experiences, we note that they did so in different ways, related to both our career stage as educators, and the differences in our disability– specifically the onset of our hearing loss in relation to our learning and teaching experiences. These include: 1) expectations of self and others for teaching and learning science; 2) “Good” science teaching practice as a barrier; 3) tensions between blending in and standing out; 4) the importance of building support networks with other science teachers with disabilities. Our study points out ‘facades of inclusion’ (Benson, Wolford, & Hyland, 2011, cited in Johnson 2018) in science teacher education, and has implications for creating learning environments, teaching practices, and curricula that support the success of students with disabilities.

Abstract:

This qualitative grounded theory study applies Discourse Analysis (DA) to focus on the student-to-student (SS) “productive conversation” occurring within groups engaged in several activities in a physical science laboratory with a goal to identify aspects and patterns of such conversation. In this study, Student-to-Student Productive Talk (SSPT) stated in relation to the accepted definitions of classroom productive talk. SSPT is on-topic discussion between students that meet the requirements of productive conversation such as visible thinking and argumentation. The form of analysis applied in this study was derived from Classroom Discourse Analysis by Cazden (2001), Gee (2014a; 2014b), and Rymes (2016).

Conversations showed specific patterns and qualities of SSPT. All previously identified patterns of SS talk were seen including I-R-E, open-chain, and closed-chain but there were interesting ways in which these patterns appeared in the laboratory settings examined.  The four labs examined involved students in different ways including 1) building components to analyze, 2) testing chemicals for their identity (by flame and by precipitate), and 3) engaging in a computer simulation.  The analysis of the groups’ data showed results of a slightly more dominant pattern of interaction which was the open-chain pattern, which excludes the final evaluative statement as found in the closed-chain and I-R-E patterns. The secondary interaction was closed-chain, but there were minimal triadic (I-R-E) patterns within the student discussions. When considering the type of lab activity and the accompanying demands made on students, the conversation patterns provided clues as to how to encourage SSPT in lab activities. The issues of authority and identity as seen through identity work proved to be an interesting component of the patterns and further research in this regard is suggested.

Abstract:

This presentation was based on a recently published work (Authors, 2021). The purpose of this study was to describe what and how secondary science preservice teachers (SSPST) implemented technology, in student teaching residency, that they had planned in previous science methods courses. A collective case study approach with purposeful sampling was used to gain understanding of multiple perspectives across prior experience, gender, and content areas. Data included written responses, observations, content analysis of lesson plans, and assessment using the Technology Use in Science Instruction (TUSI) instrument. SSPSTs used a variety of technology during methods and residency teaching. The authors used the TUSI instrument to describe areas of strength and weakness how SSPSTs used technology. All SSPSTs were weak in developing student understanding of the relationship between technology and science. SSPSTs’ greatest strengths tended to lie in two areas: technology making scientific views more accessible, in which all the traditional undergraduates showed their greatest strength; and in technology addressing worthwhile science with appropriate pedagogy, in which all who held previously awarded degrees and who were all placed at high schools showed their greatest strength. There is an important message for teacher educators to encourage all SSPSTs to answer what type of technology fits the purpose and then determine how to effectively utilize the technology. Also crucial is addressing the technology what and howregarding whether it is used as teacher-centered or student-centered and whether the technology is a tool, instrument, or model. This presentation includes recommendations for science teacher educators to prepare SSPSTs to integrate technology for meaningful learning. Educators should be purposeful when focusing on technology integration in science and engineering practices to ensure that SSPSTs can describe what technology they are using, how they are using it for student learning, and why the technology is an appropriate choice for the task at hand.

Abstract:

This presentation is based on a recently published work (Authors, 2021). Secondary and post-secondary science and engineering educators share class arrangements with both a laboratory and lecture component, coordinating both components so they build upon each other to create meaningful learning experiences. The COVID-19 pandemic forced educators to convert science courses to online delivery. Doing so came with trade-offs sacrificing laboratory experience goals of hands-on practice, problem-solving, and learning concepts at a deeper, tactile level. Due to rapidly changing conditions, educators redesigned courses to accommodate social distancing and virtual learning requirements. In this study, a team of undergraduate college students planned a set of lessons for STEM outreach to a K-12 audience. The team faced challenges in planning meaningful learning experiences in the face of COVID-19 uncertainty. The team, composed of a computer science engineering major, a physics major, and a secondary physics preservice teacher, offered reflections about planning and implementation of the minilesson to middle school students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The secondary science preservice teacher planned for multiple social distancing scenarios, and adjusted plans for the partially remote setting. The undergraduate team planned for the unexpected remarkably well considering their lack of teaching experience. They kept the original goal in mind as circumstances continued to change. A positive aspect of the COVID-19 pandemic is a renewed intentionality in planning how instructional time should be used. Planning no longer may just focus on learning activities, but also encompass the structure of the learning environment in an online setting. Switching learning environments creates a need to focus on an added burden of the infrastructure. Taking a preemptive approach to plan alternative instructional delivery combinations may offer continued flexibility in future course redesign efforts. Options for secondary and post-secondary educators to consider will be provided.

Abstract:

Students with disabilities are not performing well in the content area of science (U.S. Department of Education, 2020). It is possible their poor performance may be due in part to lack of equitable opportunities to participate during science instruction (National Research Council, 2012). When opportunities to participate are impacted, developing necessary skills to become scientifically literate are also impacted. Moreover, many Americans do not have the scientific literacy necessary to understand scientific issues and make important decisions about their lives or decisions that may affect the lives of those around them (Hazen & Trefil, 2009). Exploring what opportunities are made available to students with disabilities and students experiencing difficulties in science requires examining what is happening in the general education classroom since this is the context in which this instruction takes place (Cawley et al., 2002). This study explores the following research question: 

RQ1: Is there a significant relationship between disability status and opportunities to participate in whole-class science discussions?

Classroom observations were conducted in inclusive middle school science classrooms. Three teachers and 52 students participated in the study. A total of 26 discussions across the three classrooms were identified and included in the analysis. Within each discussion, participation sequences were identified and coded. Frequency counts for each code were entered into the Equity QUantified in Participation (EQUIP) tool (Reinholz & Shah, 2018). Equity ratios for students with disabilities/difficulties and students without disabilities/difficulties will be shared along with examples from the observations for each code. In addition to equity ratios, a chi-square test for independence was conducted to see if there was a significant relationship between disability status and opportunities to participate in whole-class science discussions. Results from the chi-square test for independence will be shared along with findings and implications for research and practice. 

Abstract:

Since it’s development in 1987, the 5E Instructional Model has become widespread throughout the field of science education and science teacher preparation. It has even been proclaimed to be the “global standard for science curriculum development” (BSCS Science Learning, 2021b). The developers of the “5Es” have called for research to establish the effectiveness of the instructional model and support its claim as the standard in science curriculum. It is the goal of the current study to determine whether this call has been answered. Through a systematic review, informed by a pilot study, we ask: How many peer-reviewed, empirical studies been conducted testing the effectiveness of the 5E Instructional Model in K-20 science education been published? How can those studies be characterized along journal and research characteristics? For example, does the research indicate effectiveness of 5E across all major science concepts? Given the proliferation of the 5Es (a simple online search will yield over 1.5 million results), this systematic review is of importance to those in all areas of science education. Science curriculum, and the associated science teacher preparation, should be based on empirically tested and validated instructional models. Results of this systematic review have the potential to inform the direction of science curriculum development and science teacher preparation. Findings of the systematic review will be presented and the implications discussed. 

Abstract:

This exploratory case study examines teacher student  discourse patterns in science during a Maker project in an elementary school classroom in semi-rural Utah. Using transcripts from classroom recordings, we were able to extract central themes from the class discourse. Elementary teachers are notoriously reluctant to teach science in their classrooms largely due to inexperience with the sciences. Our findings indicated that attempts at dialogic discourse during lessons regarding science were hindered by a lack of content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge in the sciences. Additionally, a lack of self efficacy in the sciences also hindered dialogic discourse. From this case study, allowances and constraints of science discourse are discussed and recommendations for supporting elementary school teachers can be made.

Abstract:

Automated interactive learning management systems and the associated online video-based learning environments are thought to increase student learning outcomes related to science content and practices. The purpose of this study is to examine how hemodynamic response data may be used to develop student level answer predictions via machine learning algorithms as students engage with an online learning management system in a science classroom. Forty participants (n=40), 21 females, and 19 males were recruited from a charter school located in the north eastern United States. Students watched a recorded video consisting of a 20-minute lesson and explanation of the process of DNA replication.  During instruction, a female instructor on a computer screen provided an explanation of the process of DNA replication. Results suggest that hemodynamic responses observed during content presentations to the students is predictive of student correct and incorrect responses on the questions presented about the content. With error rates in the predictive models below 30%, results suggest that hemodynamic response can assess levels of student involvement in video-based tasks. This may lead to development of novel approaches in the use of visual media for learning, allowing science educators to evaluate whether students can assimilate content from hemodynamic data.

Abstract:

Like all SSI, the COVID-19 pandemic requires decisions that are contentious, involve science, and vary across social groups. This investigation determined how perceptions about COVID-19 science and sociocultural membership associates with 475 university biology students’: 1) COVID-19 behaviors; and 2) feelings that enacted COVID-19 policies were justified. Hierarchical moderated multiple regression analyses demonstrated that higher levels of students’ reported COVID-19 spread mitigating actions and support for COVID-19 mitigating policies associated with increased COVID-19 prevention knowledge and risk perceptions. However, being increasingly politically conservative significantly associated with lower levels of COVID-19 mitigating actions and support for COVID-19 mitigating policies. Confidence in the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and tolerance for scientific revision and uncertainty positively predicted feeling that COVID-19 policies were justified. However, political orientation moderated the relationship between students’ confidence in the CDC and COVID-19 mitigating actions, with an increased confidence in the CDC holding an important positive association with very conservative students’ COVID-19 mitigating actions. Political orientation also moderated the relationship between students’ feeling that enacted COVID-19 policies are justified, and their tolerance for scientific revision and uncertainty and confidence in the CDC. More specifically, a strong positive relationship existed between more politically conservative students’ beliefs that COVID-19 policies are justified and: 1) increasing confidence in the CDC; and 2) tolerance of uncertainty and revision in science. Implications discussed include the importance for helping students analyze how sociocultural membership, personal biases and science trust interactively influence socioscientific decision-making. Further recommendations discussed include how science communication strategies must account for sociocultural variance in order to optimize trust in science and reasoned and responsible action.

Abstract:

Science education and language education have historically different paths of development with very few intersections. However, with new research in both fields, the opportunity for significant collaboration and innovation abounds. A Framework for K-12 Science Education ([NRC, 2012) proposed innovations in teaching three-dimensional inquiry science and special attention to social and cultural components of a quality program. The English Learners in STEM Subjects (NASEM, 2018), shone a light on multiple ways that the nation’s most rapidly growing group of students, multilingual learners (MLs), were being left behind or left out in science, and highlighted promising practices that would include them in the critical sense-making that constitutes contemporary science education.  The purpose of this qualitative  case study was to explore the experiences of elementary teachers as they implemented strategies from a two-year long professional development program on integrating NGSS-based three-dimensional inquiry teaching (Using FOSS and supplemental STEM curriculum adopted by the school district) and imbedding the WIDA Foundations for Equitable Classroom Engagement, the WIDA Language Practices, and the Doing and Talking Math and Science Discourse Moves into their science instruction (MacDonald, 2017). 

In the results section, the authors will describe four main themes describing the experiences that the teachers experienced over the two years of the professional development.  The themes include: 1. “Sometimes things don’t go as you planned them” In the beginning; 2.  “I am a science teacher now” Teaching science; 3.  “I can’t get my kids to stop talking about science” Integrating Language into science; and 4. “It was hard to tell the English Learners from the rest of the students when we were doing science” Science, language, and ELLs.  A full qualitative narrative was developed and connections to the literature discussed to describe the experiences of the teachers as they learned to teach science and integrate language features to help multilingual learners.

Abstract:

The purpose of this research is to identify how instructors describe their technology integration in their classrooms and how comfortable they are integrating technological tools into learning experiences. This investigation is the first stage in determining what type of professional development instructors need to integrate technology tools successfully and confidently into K-12 classrooms. Integrating digital tools to develop students’ knowledge and skills is critical for students participating in an increasingly technologically sophisticated economy and society. Students must acquire problem-solving experience, grasp technology skills and concepts, develop geospatial thinking and reasoning (GTR) abilities, and practice communication skills via learning activities focused on technological tools to be prepared for participation in STEM fields. This research seeks to answer the following questions: (1) How are teachers defining technology in their classrooms? (2) What are teachers’ beliefs about technology and perceived readiness to utilize new technological tools for learning? A questionnaire was administered to five secondary teachers, focusing on technology usage and multidisciplinary studies. From this questionnaire, follow-up interviews were conducted as well as a geospatial technology survey (GS-TPACK). According to teacher interviews, most instructors utilize technology to deliver material or information. The project aims to help instructors integrate technology as an essential component of the learning process and develop the skills required to prepare students to be successful citizens for the technological workforce instead of only using technology to disseminate information.

Abstract:

This presentation reports on a study of a curriculum project around the book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks with three cohorts of secondary science methods students. The purpose was to increase the PSTs knowledge of Nature of Science and issues of social justice in science. We focused on the human and sociocultural aspects of NOS, felt could be leveraged to develop their readiness for social justice teaching. The research question we discuss include:

1. In what ways do the pre-service teachers express their beliefs about the role of science in creating a just society?
2. In what ways do these beliefs change over the course of the semester Henrietta Lacks project?
3. How do the pre-service teachers’ balance the roles of science content and science as a human activity in their thinking about science instruction?

The study followed an action research design with data gathering and analysis taking place throughout the project implementation each year, and revisions to the assignment and its implementation on-going based on the data. The data gathered for the study included pre/post surveys, student artifacts, discussion boards, and student and instructor reflections. The data was analyzed descriptively using each PST as a unit of analysis. A summary table was developed for each PST, which allowed us to determine the PSTs level of internal consistency in responses and changes overtime. Looking across summary tables highlighted trends in changes, which we hope will help us to determine items that are predictors of PSTs changes in beliefs or lack thereof.

The results of the study would indicate that PST who were most negative about teaching for social justice became more committed to their beliefs and saw no role for teaching the human elements of NOS. Similarly, PSTs who viewed teaching for social justice most favorably, became more committed and saw NOS as a way to integrate this into their instruction. PSTs who were ambivalent saw the value of the human elements of NOS, but were concerned about implementation at the secondary level.

Abstract:

Science reform efforts suggest the use of interdisciplinary, or “integrated” science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) instruction that emphasizes using engineering design to teach science. This shift suggests that elementary preservice teachers (PSTs) have the pedagogical knowledge, strategies, and instructional skills necessary to support student STEM learning by the time they enter the classroom. As such, teacher educators must integrate STEM instruction into their methods courses, being sure to include opportunities for PSTs to plan and implement STEM lessons. However, studies are lacking that explore PSTs STEM lesson planning. The current study investigates elementary PSTs’ development of Naval STEM tasks in a senior science methods course with a focus on their: (i) use of STEM teaching resources, (ii) alignment with three-dimensional (3D) learning, and (iii) integration of engineering design. Participants included 39 elementary PSTs enrolled in the methods course over two semesters. Data were gathered via PSTs’ STEM lesson plans. Content analysis was used to code lesson plans with a focus on PSTs’ lesson planning. Results showed that most PSTs adapted existing STEM teaching materials and were able to align their lessons with 3D learning. Yet, how PSTs’ contextualized and integrated engineering design varied. These findings appeared to reflect PSTs’ formative conceptions of lesson planning and engineering design and suggest that more consideration is needed about how PSTs’ use STEM teaching resources and understand connections between science and engineering. Implications are discussed as they relate to STEM teacher preparation.

Abstract:

An undeniable focus of science education over the last few decades has centered on how teachers can promote student argumentation, autonomous learning situations, and epistemic practices as instruments for learning (Duschl, Schweingruber, & Shouse, 2007; NRC, 2012).  Research in this field supports teachers acquiring pedagogical tools that extend beyond being able to deliver a traditional didactic lecture and move towards facilitative teacher dialogue and students understanding how to construct and critique scientific evidence (Duschl & Grandy, 2008; Sandoval & Reiser, 2004).  The lack of experience in engaging with Science and Engineering Practices (SEP) as a learner may produce practicing teachers who have a hard time conceptualizing its value as a process that will help their students produce new knowledge.  Bråten, Muis, and Reznitskaya (2017) noted that teachers who attempt to implement these practices in their classroom face challenges because in order to truly see value in the practice they have to both change the style of their discourse and their beliefs about the potential benefits for student learning.  In fact, Windschitl and Stroupe (2017) noted: “Scientific argument, after all, is an unnatural way for students to interact with ideas; the practice has its own epistemic ground rules and rhetorical moves that are not self-evident for young learners or to teachers” (p.252). However, despite the strong support for a shift in science instruction there have been numerous reports that claim teacher questioning and feedback is not being utilized in a way that promotes this rigor  (Lee & Grace, 2012; Osborne et al., 2003). Cookbook laboratory work that epitomizes most secondary and post-secondary science classrooms is a practice that is distinct from actual scientific work (Roth et al., 2006).  In this presentation, we describe a learning experience created for elementary pre-service teachers where we gave them the opportunity to use science practices to learn content and reflect on how these lessons impacted their pedagogical views.

Abstract:

On the coattails of the Science-Technology-Society movement of the 1980s, then the National Science Education Standards of the 1990s, followed by the Next Generation Science Standards of 2013 comes America’s Strategy for STEM Education. This five-year plan spans 2019 to 2023, functioning as both a roadmap for $3.2 billion in Federal agencies’ grant-making, and as a North Star to guide STEM programs in communities across the nation. A requirement of the America COMPETES Act, this Congressional directive was produced by the Office of Science and Technology Policy in partnership with fifteen Federal Agencies including the National Science Foundation, NASA, the US Department of Education, the Departments of Labor, Commerce, Agriculture, State, Interior, Homeland Security, and the Department of Defense. The broadest stakeholder array spanning K-12 and higher education, business and industry, nonprofits and advocacy group and more, were engaged in formulating the three over-arching goals of the Plan supported by four Pathways to Success, each detailing three priorities moving forward. Priorities such as school-business partnerships and disciplinary convergence. The implications for science educator preparation are profound, ranging from the immediate and practical grant proposal success of faculty for Federal awards, to the pedagogical and curricular adaptations to science teaching in step with the groundswell behind STEM. Expect a lively discussion where we navigate areas of support, ambivalence, concern, threat, opportunity, excitement, and plugging in to America’s Strategy for STEM Education.

Abstract:

In this work, I present a critique and redesign of a cube activity that was originally developed by the National Academy of Sciences to teach fifth-through twelfth-grade students about the nature of science. I have used the activity in its original form to introduce pre-service elementary teachers and in-service teachers to scientific argumentation. The original cube activity is effective in providing opportunities for learners to make observations, identify patterns, make claims, support their claims with evidence, and critique one another’s claims and evidence-based reasoning. However, one aspect of the activity is problematic: it reinforces the oft-normalized male/female dualism in schools (e.g., calling attention to “girls and boys,” or having boys and girls line up separately). In the paper, I first describe the details of the cube activity that I critique. This is followed by a conceptual framework that highlights the problematic nature of the male/female gendered dualism, particularly in schools. I then share my innovation, which is a modification to the cube activity that removes its gender references and leaves its benefits intact—as evidenced by my use of it with pre-service elementary teachers in my science methods course. I discuss future work, including my intent to not simply replace the cube activity with one free from gender reference, but to also engage my pre-service elementary teachers in discussions that—using a word from philosopher Judith Butler—“trouble” male/female gender binary norms within and beyond schools.

Abstract:

This study focuses on the transition from classroom teacher to teacher educator and how this impacts teacher identity, but more specifically the additional challenges of learning to become a teacher educator in the midst of a pandemic.  We first examine Author One’s experience with the transition of being a secondary science teacher to becoming an elementary science teacher educator, and the effect of this transition on his developing identity as a teacher educator.  Specifically, we focus on the challenges with this transition while also being required to teach online asynchronously due to the pandemic. We then extend the investigation into his third semester of teaching, as universities return to in person teaching, to understand what shifts his developing identity undergoes again as he adapts to teaching elementary science methods in person. Employing self-study methodology this work examines the two-step process of transition from classroom teacher to teacher educator but the increased complexity of this experience teaching online during the pandemic, and with the transition back to some sense of normalcy with teaching in person. Data sources include an Author One’s reflective journal, recordings of meetings with critical friends providing feedback throughout the process, and student artifacts from different activities applied from year 1 to year 2. From our coding of the journal from year 1, several codes were identified about Author One’s identity as a teacher educator being tied to the types of interactions he fosters in his classroom.  As he transitions to teaching in person in year 2 (Fall 2021) we will look to see how he takes what he learned about fostering these interactions in an online environment and apply them to his in-person teaching. Techniques learned from his semester 2 experience of online teaching will guide him in this process and critical friend meetings will focus on attending to the transitional moments in his identity as he makes yet another shift in developing who he is as a teacher educator. 

Abstract:

In the United States and around the world, science teachers are being tasked with incorporating engineering into their classroom instruction. Classroom engineering activities need not be facsimiles of the work of engineers in the real world, but they do need to accurately reflect engineering in order to provide students with authentic opportunities to develop and use disciplinary practices. Developing and implementing such authentic activities requires that teachers have informed views about the nature of engineering. Of crucial importance is teachers’ understanding of how science and engineering are related, yet distinct.

In this poster presentation, we describe a set of learning activities that were developed to help pre-service teachers (PSTs) gain a deeper understanding of how engineering differs from science and how classroom engineering activities ought to differ from science activities. Those activities include a set of classroom scenarios designed to elicit PSTs’ thinking about the characteristics of science versus engineering instruction; a set of short stories describing the work of real-world engineers, with embedded questions that draw attention to key ideas related to the difference between science and engineering; and an organizational framework to assist PSTs in developing accurate epistemic frameworks for science and engineering in the classroom.

Our poster also shares preliminary findings from the deployment of the learning activities in several different science methods courses targeting PSTs (elementary and secondary) at three different institutions. Our instructional materials are available to all interested ASTE attendees, and our work will be of interest to any of those who work with teachers to incorporate engineering into their science instruction. The results of our research on the instructional materials are relevant for ASTE members who have an interest in promoting teachers’ understanding of the nature of science and the nature of engineering.

Abstract:

As scientists continually emphasize anthropogenic climate change and the consequences of minimizing its importance on the sustainability of life, misconceptions persist in educating a climate-literate society. This meta-synthesis seeks to determine the nature of current climate change misconceptions in secondary education, including the most prevalent misconceptions and the most promising strategies that correct climate change misconceptions.  In this study, we consider a socio-cultural lens in determining what misconceptions are most prevalent in society, and then compare these misconceptions with those in secondary education. We compile tables to organize qualifying research articles to synthesize prevalent misconceptions as reported in peer-reviewed research. A theme of teacher misconceptions is intertwined with student misconceptions and addressed. The second section of the study addresses which strategies show the most promise in correcting climate change misconceptions in secondary science students.  According to the data collected and analyzed in this metasynthesis, the most common climate change misconception for secondary students is the conflation of global climate change with depletion of the ozone layer. The next most common misconception includes misconceptions about the greenhouse effect and the conflation of non-atmospheric events with climate change.  Additionally, the most common misconception for teachers is also the conflation of global climate change with the depletion of the ozone layer, while some teachers also struggle with understanding the Nature of Science around climate change-related misconceptions. Strategies that hold the most promise in correcting climate change misconceptions stem from conceptual change theory, including the use of refutation texts and the use of constructivist-type lessons that target specific aspects of climate change.  

Abstract:

In this presentation, we report on the use of videos to determine what science teachers notice about know about sound science instruction. The teachers work closely with science district leaders who are engaged in a professional development program that will ideally help them enhance their professional knowledge and skills. In order to determine the impact our professional development program on science district leaders, we decided to monitor the development of their teachers in their vision of the NGSS scientific practices. Drawing upon the work of van Es and Sherin (2008), 20 elementary and secondary science teachers watched short videos of classroom instruction focused on the NGSS. The teachers were shown approximately 10 minutes of video in either a secondary or elementary science classroom and asked to indicate when they noticed high quality science instruction (ideally linked to the NGSS). The audio recordings of the teachers commenting about the videos were analyzed in terms of the practices and instruction they noticed, along with their framing of the noticing (e.g., comparative, affective, critical). Most of the teachers did not notice the learning of the students, but instead noticed the actions of the teachers. In addition, the teachers made affective statements indicating the degree to which they liked aspects of the lesson. From this study, we see that elementary and secondary science teachers notice the same things about science instruction. This has implications for how these teachers should be supported to build their instructional knowledge and practices. This is just the first step in our process of determining how teachers are influenced by their district science leaders.

Abstract:

As we prepare teachers to provide students with opportunities within STEM education, authentic experiences should guide the instruction. Unfortunately, due to the novel integration of engineering into national reform documents, there is a dearth of documentation around how preservice teachers' ideas of engineering align to students’ end goals of becoming an engineer (e.g., enrolling in an engineering program). As teachers must provide authentic science experiences to help frame the work of the scientists for students, creating authentic engineering experiences should frame the work of engineers for students. Thus, it is important to foundationally investigate how preservice teachers’ ideas about engineering reflect those of novice engineers. This research uses a multiple case study to investigate and compare elementary education and engineering majors’ understanding of engineering within their communities. A priori codes were used to investigate how these two groups of undergraduates understood engineering within their communities, using photo novellas to communicate their conceptions of engineering. This work found that both groups were able to find elements of engineering within their neighborhoods. Additionally, while there were some similarities across groups, engineering majors were more likely to speak to the science behind the photo, but the elementary preservice teachers found a larger variety and diversity of engineering elements. These findings indicate that these groups have fundamentally different perspectives on what engineering is and how it is expressed within the communities. This has implications for upper tiers of education as elementary teachers lay broad engineering foundations, while middle, high school, and community colleges must methodically highlight disciplines of engineering to provide more authentic experiences, highlighting the connections between engineering, science, and math.

Abstract:

The COVID-19 pandemic highlights longstanding calls that science classrooms ought to be spaces in which students confront socio-scientific issues (SSI) like pandemics as a means of developing a more scientifically literate and social justice-oriented populace (Zeidler, 2014). Unfortunately, multiple researchers have identified a lack of teacher confidence in developing curricular components to address the multifaceted social dimensions of SSI as one of the most significant barriers to implementing a successful SSI-based unit (Hancock et al., 2019; Sadler et al., 2006; Tidemand and Nielson, 2016; Zangori et al., 2018). Therefore, careful consideration must be given to support teachers as they integrate SSI into their science curriculum, with a particular emphasis on supporting the ways in which teachers navigate the social dimensions associated with SSI. This paper explores examples of instructional activities that elicit social considerations while promoting science knowledge and practices. In Spring 2020 and July 2020, nine high school science teachers participated in a professional development experience that used collaborative curriculum design as an overarching framework (Huizinga et al., 2014). During the workshops, classroom teachers co-designed an SSI-based unit centered around the COVID-19 pandemic to be used in their classrooms during the 2020-2021 school year. This paper uses the COVID-19 unit as an example for thinking about and approaching the social facets of SSI-based teaching. Using the Socio-Scientific Issues Teaching and Learning Framework (Hancock et al., 2019) to develop socio-scientific reasoning skills, student-centered activities were created to scaffold students’ thinking as they consider the social dynamics at play within an SSI, (i.e., COVID-19). These activities provide a model for classroom teachers and science teacher educators to use as they navigate the challenge of integrating social dimensions in a socio-scientific issues-based approach. 

Abstract:

Emergent Bilingual students bring to the science classroom a wealth of cultural and personal experiences, known as funds of knowledge, that teachers can utilize during their classroom instruction. Incorporating students’ funds of knowledge in the science classroom has been shown to improve student interest and engagement, support language development, and help students see science as relevant to their lives. This study seeks to understand the ways in which high school biology teachers accessed and incorporated student funds of knowledge in their classrooms as well as the types of funds of knowledge they leveraged. As part of their participation in a larger NSF-funded project, teacher participants completed a training module on funds of knowledge that introduced them to the concept and supported them in implementing a lesson with attention to funds of knowledge in their classrooms. Findings indicate that student funds of knowledge are both accessible and usable in the high school biology classroom. Teachers most frequently used student funds to generate engagement and interest in the science content. The type of funds of knowledge that was most frequently provided by students and most commonly incorporated by teachers was popular culture funds of knowledge. These findings speak to the importance of educating teachers on how to access and use student funds of knowledge in the science classroom, and implications for science teacher education will be discussed.

Abstract:

Within a slightly modified themed-paper or poster set and small group roundtable formats, this interactive session highlights doctoral students’ initial work as science teacher educator-researchers. Sixteen qualitative research papers of varying topics highlight methods of qualitative research design and discussion of findings. The research papers were completed as pilot studies in an Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods in Science Education course for doctoral students. This doctoral level qualitative course is taught early in their doctoral preparation program (beginning of the second year) to provide opportunities for conducting pilot studies that will support them as they progress in their program of study toward certification to dissertation proposal to dissertation study. After the papers are presented, a panel discussion on qualitative research in science teacher education will be discussed moderated by the organizer. Overall, the session offers a new format and approach to the conference in an interactive session where doctoral students present their work, and a seasoned science teacher educator moderates the panel. The 16 research papers are divided into two different symposium sessions based upon themes that emerged while conducting research student pre and during a global pandemic.  The first symposium has eight papers arranged in the theme of “Exploring the Experiences of Doctoral Students, Classroom Teachers, and Teacher Educators Pre and During the Global Pandemic” and the second symposium has eight papers arranged in the theme of “Informal Spaces for Teaching, Learning, and Professional Growth of Teachers and Youth.”

Abstract:

Non-traditional students within teacher education report issues of anxiety, isolation, difficulties in transitioning to teaching careers, and adopting newer notions of reform- oriented teaching. There is a call for university coursework to be more responsive towards the needs of non-traditional learners. I have not found any studies that specifically discuss NTTCs within science teacher education. The current exploratory study aims to address this gap in literature and can potentially improve learning opportunities for science methods courses focused on the needs of NTTC through its findings. The study used the framework of Curiosity- Wonder-Attention from John Muir Laws and Emily Lygren and the notions of Wonder by Hadzigeorgiou’s (2012) to ground the idea of experiential learning for elementary science teacher candidates. The participants were NTTCs in an 8-week long, blended, science methods course. Each teacher candidate kept a weekly journal that they completed based on the prompts provided using nature journaling. Each week alongside the activity, teachers engaged in a class discussion post that prompted them to reflect on and make sense of how the natural journaling activity helped them engage in scientific thinking. Four-dimensional framework of engagement by Reeve & Tseng (2011) has been utilized to analyze nature journals and discussion posts as primary data to assess teacher candidates’ levels of engagement. Nature journaling assignment was designed to address many challenges faced by adult learners. It allowed an element of choice and flexibility that may suit their busy work life. They were also able to view and read about their peer’s journals that afforded a sense of community during pandemic. The analysis is a work in progress but preliminary findings reveal NTTCs’ levels of interest, enjoyment, involvement with science phenomenon and cognitive engagement. The levels of engagement vary across teacher candidates but overall, it is a promising approach to re-introduce non-traditional learners to science teaching and learning.

Abstract:

Studies suggest the lack of diversity in STEM can be partially attributed to implicit bias. Implicit biases, established in childhood without intervention, will persist into adulthood. Language choices reflect institutional norms and implicit perceptions. Inclusive language reforms have been a topic of study in post-secondary STEM education, and the use of gender-inclusive language and the manifestation of implicit bias have been well documented in academic contexts. However, combined, they remain relatively unexplored in gender-science bias in children.  This study employs "Draw a Scientist" (DAST) to explore implicit bias among K-12 students in the southeastern US based upon their written description of a scientist using gendered or non-gendered language by addressing the following research questions: (1) How is a gender-specific and gender-inclusive language used by self-identified male and female students? (2) How do students describe the characteristics of scientists when using gender-specific or gender-inclusive language?  Utilizing only students' written responses to "Give two thoughts on what your scientist is doing in this picture," gender-specific and gender-inclusive terms are identified and categorized as female-oriented, male-oriented, or gender-inclusive. Once it was established how students gendered their scientists, further analysis was performed using responses to "List three words that come to mind when you think of a scientist" to categorize how students characterize scientists based on their use of gendered language. Preliminary results found that 40.58% of responses lacked a subject, 30.14% included male-oriented subjects, 19.35% had gender-inclusive subjects, and 9.93% described female-oriented subjects. Additional analysis found that there is no association between the use of gender-inclusive language and the traits students assign to scientist, suggesting that the use of gender-inclusive language could impact the inclusive nature of science without disrupting or changing a students' views on the characteristics of a scientist.

Abstract:

The processes that scientists use to investigate phenomena are outlined in Framework for K-12 Science Education (National Research Council, 2012) as scientific and engineering practices.  These practices can be organized into three spaces, investigation, evaluation, and theoretical, based on the theory of scientific discovery as a dual search (SDDS) (Klahr & Dunbar, 1988; Osborne, 2013).  By exploring the draw a scientist test (DAST) descriptions of what scientists are doing from primary, middle and high school students (n=291) form North Carolina, USA, the perceived practices and spaces of scientific discovery that were used by scientists were explored. Data was coded by two researchers with 100% intercoder agreement and descriptive statistics were calculated.  Students overwhelmingly perceive scientists performing in the investigation space (71.64% of responses), and there is little emphasis on the evaluation space (0.91%) and theoretical space (9.21%). Overall the scientific practice most often described by students was carrying out investigations (68.04%).  The practices that were least described were using and developing models (0.23%) and argumentation from evidence (0%). Additionally, students described actions not included in the three spaces of SDDS including communicating science, learning about science, and helping society.  Though there are no significant differences between male and female responses, themes emerged between genders included that a greater proportion of females mentioned computation and mathematical reasoning (Females 1.12%; Males 0.52%) actions when compared to males and a greater proportion of male represented actions related to helping society (Males 4.01%; females 2.38%). Although there are limitations to using the DAST to represent the spaces in which scientists work, this information may inform science curriculum and instruction on which practices students are associating with the work of scientists and which practices may need greater emphasis in the classroom. 

Abstract:

Despite its presence in policy documents and classrooms for several years, defining integrated STEM education has been a challenge, delaying the development of observation protocols to understand how STEM education is being practiced in K-12 classrooms. The work presented here uses a new 10-item observation protocol designed for integrated STEM teaching in K-12 science and engineering classrooms (Authors, 2021). Using a database comprised of over 2000 video-recorded classroom observations, we explored how current practices in integrated STEM education measure up against the new instrument. In addition, we explored how integrated STEM education may vary depending on science content (physical, earth, and life science) and grade level (elementary, middle, and high school). Our results suggest that components of integrated STEM education represented in the instrument are underrepresented in current practice. Results from Kruskal-Wallis tests also reveal that components of integrated STEM education may happen more frequently and at higher levels in physical science and elementary classrooms. Our work points to various places where integrated STEM education could be substantially improved, including making connections to students lives, the use of technology practices, and creating STEM career awareness. This work highlights where efforts concerning integrated STEM education need to be placed. Implications for this work include those for teachers, teacher educators, classroom coaches, and administrators.

Abstract:

Although failure can be an important part of the learning process, especially in STEM fields, little is known about how failure is presented to students based on teachers’ views and fears of failure. This mixed-methods study surveyed and interviewed 157 elementary preservice teachers in science methods courses. The quantitative survey instrument measured the preservice teachers fear of failure in relation to five consequences of failure: (1) fear of experiencing shame and embarrassment, (2) fear of devaluing one’s self-estimate, (3) fear of having an uncertain future, (4) fear of important others losing interest, and (5) fear of upsetting important others. Qualitative interview questions asked the preservice teachers about their definitions of failure, views of failure, and experiences with failure. Results from the study revealed that the preservice teachers’ fear of failure increased over the semester and that their views of failure as students and teachers were not always in alignment. This study suggests that science teacher educators need to consider how to support students to overcome their fear of failure, especially as a semester progresses, in order to achieve visions of STEM education in which failure is a productive part of the learning process.

Abstract:

Research has shown that how science teachers teach is closely related to how they conceptualize science as a subject to learn and to how they perceive themselves as science learners. Drawing on Gee’s identity theory, this qualitative study analyzed 23 preservice elementary science teacher’s science learning experience essays to understand how identity manifests itself in their autobiographical essay on learning science in and out of school contexts and being/becoming a science learner. The findings of this study indicate that all four dimensions (nature, institution, discourse, and affinity) were identified in the preservice elementary science teachers’ science learning experience essays, showing how they negotiate their constantly evolving identities as science learners and future science teachers. Regardless of their experiences, the student teachers expressed that engaging with science both in school and out of school contexts (i.e., family and everyday life experiences) helped them formulate who they are as science learners and future science teachers. Suggestions for future research were presented.

Abstract:

This HHMI-funded Inclusive Excellence professional development program presentation focuses on two overarching goals: 1) provide professional development for postsecondary science and mathematics faculty to promote effective inclusive teaching practices, and 2) reform science and mathematics laboratory courses to incorporate authentic research experiences via course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs). This poster presentation can help to inform and guide postsecondary science and mathematics educators who are interested in developing CUREs, as well as creating a curriculum and support system that allows both traditional and non-traditional students, especially underrepresented students, to participate in authentic research projects and provide assistance in continuing research at the university and beyond graduation. This poster presentation can further help to inform and guide science education professional developers about innovative virtual year-round inclusive professional development that is designed to help postsecondary science and mathematics faculty develop CUREs, their science and mathematics education approaches, and their inclusive pedagogical techniques.

Abstract:

Communication is an essential component to scientific inquiry, and specifically the primary literature is highly valued and used by scientists.  Yet, the role of primary literature within scientific inquiry is generally absent from the science classroom or science research project.  Recent events with the pandemic further highlight the need for the public to understand the value of peer-reviewed literature within the science process. In this study we examined how student perceptions of scientific inquiry, confidence, self-efficacy and identity in STEM changed after they engaged in a peer-review and publication process of their science research papers through the Journal of Emerging Investigators (JEI), a journal dedicated to publishing the research of middle and high school students.  We employed pre-surveys to students upon the submission of their research paper to the free pre-college science journal JEI; we employed an almost identical post-survey to students upon the final stage of publication following the peer-review and revision of their paper. Students reported increased understanding of the role of peer-review and publication within the research process; open-ended responses show that after going through this publication process, students tend to view publication as part of the cycle of science rather than an endpoint.  Importantly, students reported significant gains in their confidence, self-efficacy, and identity in STEM following peer-review and publication of their research projects. Our work demonstrates the value of integrating authentic communication within the research process and sets the stage for more meaningful incorporation of the concepts of peer-review and publication in teacher education and the science classroom.  

Abstract:

Many science teachers enter the classroom underprepared to ask effective questions and facilitate productive science class discussions (Levine, 2006; Oliveira, 2010). As questions and argumentation have been re-emphasized in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS Lead States, 2013), teachers must be able to model and scaffold questioning that leads to authentic student discussion. Additionally, teacher skills have been correlated with teacher turnover, job satisfaction, and student outcomes (Carver-Thomas & Darling-Hammond, 2017). Therefore, the need to develop science teacher candidates’ competence in asking effective questions and facilitating discussions is critical.

Curriculum materials were developed in an online environment using experiential learning theory and deliberate practice to provide an opportunity for science teacher candidates to practice teaching skills. This novel approach included the use of virtual mixed-reality simulations that incorporated timely peer and mentor feedback and guided self-reflection. All feedback was based on the Danielson (2013) rubric allowing transferability of findings to other settings and independence of experts administering the feedback. Investigation of the virtual learning experience focused on repeated classroom simulations using a mixed-methods research design.

The research question asked if undergraduate science teacher candidates’ skill performance in asking questions and facilitating discussion improved by experiential deliberate practice. Despite mixed self-reports of effectiveness, external rater data indicated that all science teacher candidates improved in questioning and discussion skill development as measured by the Danielson (2013) rubric. The mixed self-report data may be due to teacher candidates' increased pedagogical knowledge of effective questioning and discussion and subsequently raised expectations of effective skills.

Abstract:

Our project focuses on an informal, after-school program geared towards rural middle school students emphasizing the development of STEM research skills using archaeology as a medium. The program and research are grounded in the notion that informal learning through archaeology involves participating in the actions of scientists, which is intertwined with becoming a member of the broader STEM community. That broader community includes a non-Western perspective, and our project featured presentations by Indigenous leaders who linked objects from the past to the living landscape and living people.

Internal review of data thus far have demonstrated how the middle school students succeeded in becoming science learners through archaeological and Indigenous perspectives. The content analysis and field notes highlighted how the program enhanced students’ understanding of science concepts and practices. The inclusion of small group research projects engaged students in a scientific method grounded in science practices.

This presentation will highlight the features of the after-school program and address how the program engaged and supported middle school students’ participation as science learners. This presentation will add to the knowledge base of science teacher education by highlighting the application of science concepts and practices through archaeological and Indigenous ways-of-being, particularly in an informal after-school program. We contend that the science concepts and hands-on activities of the program can be integrated into other settings and contexts. At the conclusion of the presentation, attendees will understand our method to support and engage middle school students as science learners through the use of archaeology. This presentation is intended for members of ASTE interested in informal education methods, such as those we employed to deliver science concepts using archaeology.

Abstract:

This innovative, rapid-response project developed culturally sustaining, agricultural science instructional materials for low-technology distance learning in response to changes in our region caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and 30% of students lacking internet access. The materials were also a response to the need to empower families to be more self-sustaining due to drastic changes to local food systems and increased levels of food insecurity. We used culturally sustaining pedagogy (Paris, 2012) and a locally developed scope and sequence for school garden curriculum to guide decisions of what science content should be taught. Design decisions for how to deliver content also considered the linguistic resources of multilingual learners and the barriers created by a lack of internet access. A model of interactions (Anderson, 2003) and ideas for new roles for family members to take in home-based instruction helped us to develop innovative ideas for replacing typical school-based learning interactions with home-based interactions. We used an essential, desirable, optional framework (Hancock, 2010) to ensure essential learning content was accessible without internet access. We present the work of two researchers with 10 teachers in a rapid, participatory co-design process to develop instructional materials. Our co-design team developed two 72-page, eight-lesson books that reflect an asset-based perspective, built from students' funds of knowledge and existing language resources, allowed students to learn science as they simultaneously develop a specialized science register, and were accessible by students who lacked internet access. Grant funding supported printing the student books and bundling the books with supplies, such as a packet of seeds, a magnifying lens, a tape measure, a pipette, a thermometer, and label stickers. Fifteen thousand workbooks were printed, bundled with kit supplies, and were delivered to approximately 300 teachers across our region to use with their students during summer and fall of 2021.

Abstract:

Teacher educators often expect that teachers develop the subject matter knowledge (SMK) they need for teaching in their college science coursework. However, the impact of college science coursework on teachers’ SMK has not been sufficiently explored. In addition to being a formal opportunity to learn science SMK, college science coursework is an opportunity to receive feedback on your knowledge and to learn to better monitor one’s own knowledge. In this study we explore the relationships of college science coursework with preservice elementary teachers’ science SMK and knowledge monitoring in two topics, evolution and matter, using a sample of preservice elementary teachers. Findings indicate that participants reported completing, on average, slightly more than the minimum required science courses and did quite well. However, neither the number of courses nor participants’ final grades were related to their SMK scores. Additionally, participants estimated their SMK slightly better than chance equally well for both topics. Participants’ ability to monitor their knowledge was not related to their knowledge of the science concepts. Finally, participants’ ability to estimate their knowledge in the topic of evolution, but not matter, was correlated with their grades in all college science courses. Otherwise, HC scores were not related to their college science coursework.

Abstract:

Engaging students in argument from evidence is one of the eight science and engineering practices identified in the Next Generation Science Standards as important for student learning. Facilitating discussions is a key approach that science teachers can use to engage students in this scientific practice. However, learning how to facilitate discussions that engage K-12 students in productive scientific argumentation is an ambitious teaching practice that can be difficult to learn how to do well. In addition, preservice teachers (PSTs) tend to have limited opportunities to tryout and refine this novel instructional practice. In our study, we examine secondary PSTs’ perceptions and use of a science performance task—used within an online, simulated classroom consisting of five middle school student avatars—to practice this ambitious teaching practice. Findings showed that the PSTs perceived the task components to be easy to understand, useful in helping them prepare for the simulated discussion, and an authentic representation of what middle school students would say and do. While all PSTs recognized the primary discussion goal as supporting the students in building a consensus model, they also identified a variety of secondary goals. In addition, the PSTs demonstrated variability in their discussion approaches and performances in the simulated classroom. While most PSTs attended to three features (direction of heat transfer; speed of particles; differences in heat transfer across the foam and paper cups) they wanted the students to include in their models of heat transfer, the PSTs took unique paths to reach this endpoint. Finally, findings showed that these PSTs varied in their ability to facilitate these types of discussions. This study adds to the growing literature on innovative, technology-based solutions for developing science teachers’ ability to engage in ambitious teaching practices and points to one productive approach that can be incorporated within science teacher education to help PSTs learn how to facilitate argumentation-focused discussions.

Abstract:

The need to improve the professional development (PD) of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) has been spoken about for some time now (Gardner & Jones, 2011; Reeves et al., 2016; Rushin et al., 1997; Schussler et al., 2008, 2015). GTAs at many research institutions are the primary instructors in many introductory STEM courses (Smith & Delgado, 2021) and these courses are critical in how undergraduates choose a major (Meaders et al., 2020). GTAs who lack the necessary pedagogical knowledge and teaching experience struggle with the demand placed on them to teach the introductory science classes (Schussler et al., 2015). This lack of experience has been linked to low self-efficacy for science teaching (DeChenne et al., 2015; Prieto & Altmaier, 1994; Swan et al., 2011). Hence, ways of improving self-efficacy that do not require considerable amounts of time are critically needed. This study aims to fill a gap in the literature about the conceptions of science teaching (CSTs) and self-efficacy of STEM GTAs as these are useful measures of a teacher’s readiness to provide quality science instruction. We evaluate the change in CST and self-efficacy from data taken before and after a PD course aimed at developing inquiry teaching skills in chemistry GTAs. Using non-parametric methods, we also analyze the data to discern any possible correlation between their CSTs and self-efficacy. Data were obtained from eight chemistry GTAs using instruments designed to obtain data on the CSTs and self-efficacy for science teaching. Our findings show that significant improvement in the CSTs and self-efficacy of the participants occurred after the PD course while the correlation between CST and self-efficacy was tenuous at best. These results provide confirmation of the potential of effective PD to improve the CSTs and self-efficacy of GTAs and provides a platform for further research into PD methods for GTAs aimed at improving undergraduate STEM teaching and learning.

Abstract:

Inquiry science teaching has shown significant promise as a pedagogical technique aimed at improving science learning across all levels of education (Crawford, 2014; Dobber et al., 2017; Kotuľáková, 2019). As novice teachers, graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) often struggle with their teaching requirements due to beliefs that are not aligned with current standards and low self-efficacy in science teaching (Smith & Delgado, 2021). At most research universities, GTAs serve as primary instructors of science labs, lectures, and discussion sections in undergraduate programs (Sundberg et al., 2005). However, very few GTAs receive adequate training in teaching (Gardner & Jones, 2011). The primary means through which needed assistance is provided to this important group of undergraduate instructors is through short summer professional development sessions before they start teaching. Additionally, there is a dearth of research on GTAs beliefs for inquiry labs and their self-efficacy for teaching such labs. Yet, their effective instruction in undergraduate labs and discussion sections will partly depend on their beliefs about inquiry and self-efficacy for teaching such courses. Therefore, this study reports on GTAs’ beliefs about inquiry and self-efficacy for science teaching before and after a teaching methods course designed to train GTAs in inquiry instruction. Forty-four (44) GTAs in Chemistry, Biology, and Physics participated in the study. Data was collected using beliefs for inquiry survey and self-efficacy for science teaching survey before and after the course. The findings revealed that while self-efficacy did improve significantly, beliefs on the other hand showed negligible improvement. Analysis of variance showed no significant difference across the three disciplines and correlation analysis revealed a modest correlation between beliefs about inquiry and self-efficacy in science teaching, providing a platform for further investigations into the interplay between GTAs’ beliefs about inquiry instruction and their self-efficacy for such type of instruction.

Abstract:

Early elementary years are a critical period for supporting children’s natural curiosity about the world around them. Place-based education shows promise as a way to help young learners strengthen connections with their local community while studying and making sense of natural phenomena. However, contrary to some popular messaging about this philosophy, it is important to understand that place-based education is not inherently equitable, and in fact, could further contribute to inequities if not approached critically. In this exploratory session, we introduce two different ways that place-based education is conceptualized in theory and practice, unpack the unique equity considerations that result from those conceptualizations, and provide space to collectively imagine how teacher educators can support elementary teachers who wish to implement equitable, place-based science in their classrooms.

Abstract:

We implemented a collaborative inquiry project with elementary pre-service teachers who were enrolled in their science methods course during the 2020-2021 academic year. The courses were taught in one of three modalities: 1) fully online, fully asynchronous (graduate students) , 2) fully online, synchronous meetings (undergraduate students), and 3) blended with face to face and asynchronous online components (undergraduate students). Small groups engaged remotely in collaborative hands-on inquiry projects, documenting their communication throughout the process. Our study aimed to identify the impact of the experience on preservice teachers’ perceptions of collaboration, strategies they used to collaborate in a remote setting, and application of these understandings to plans for collaboration in their future classrooms. Qualitative data from the students’ reflections were analyzed using Braun and Clark’s six-step method of thematic analysis (2006).  Students’ perceptions of collaboration fell into two broad themes: (1) support among group members and (2) challenges. Under the theme of support among group members, students across all modalities felt supported when their peers listened to their ideas and placed value on hearing all voices. Under this same theme, we found many instances where there were differences in the way graduate and undergraduate students responded to the experience. Under the theme of challenges, there were many similarities across all groups, including coordination of schedules, controlling variables and materials, and technological difficulties. 

We identified five main strategies students used while engaging in remote inquiry: (1) establish defined roles based on individual’s strengths and/or schedules, (2) divide tasks evenly among group members, (3) work independently on tasks and then come together to share, (4) use a variety of communication techniques (e.g. virtual meetings, Google suite, chat platforms, email), and (5) negotiate and eventually compromise when making decisions about project direction, tasks, and scheduling.

Abstract:

This case study describes the patterns of engagement of four high school life science teachers in a yearlong online professional development program on culturally and linguistically responsive instruction (CLRI). The National Research Council’s Framework for K-12 Science Education notes a clear relationship between students’ cultures and their learning of science. However, there is a gap in the literature regarding teachers’ engagement with online professional development (oPD) programs, particularly in the realm of equity-focused initiatives. Using discussion posts, lesson plans, reflections, and survey responses as data, we illuminate the ways in which teachers engaged with oPD elements, as well as the oPD features they found most valuable in their professional growth. All four teachers in this study exhibited trends across how they participated and engaged in the oPD to build on their CLRI understandings. Findings indicated that teachers interacted with the oPD resources in two distinct ways: used topic introduction resources to understand and concretize each CLRI element and used lesson reflection templates to critically evaluate what CLRI aspects they were successful with implementing and create plans to moving forward. Features of the oPD that teachers reported as best supporting their evolving understandings of CLRI included: synchronous Zoom TM meetings that provided opportunities for teachers to share and hear feedback, and modeled examples to refine their understandings for science-specific classroom contexts. Being cognizant of how life science teachers utilized and reflected on their experience with online CLRI resources has implications for supporting teachers in their pursuit of discipline-specific equitable instruction. Implications include the importance of understanding teachers’ engagement trends for future oPD and the need for empirical research to determine how teachers are engaging with resources and which resources are reported to be most constructive regarding CLRI.

Abstract:

Teachers report needing relevant and authentic climate change resources. National Parks are informal education centers and can provide climate change educational resources for teachers. However, little is known about the climate change educational resources that exist across the National Parks in the United States (US).  To increase the knowledge in this area, this mixed-methods study surveyed National Parks in the US. Findings from the quantitative and qualitative questions on the survey revealed which climate change educational resources National Parks offered, what climate change content was covered, and the perceived strengths and weaknesses of these resources. Quantitative analysis revealed the descriptive statistics of the distribution of climate change educational resources available from the National Parks. Qualitative analysis revealed the specific climate change content in the educational resources and the perceived strengths and weaknesses of the climate change educational resources available from the National Parks. Some climate change topics include phenology, ecology, and changes to the cryosphere. The strengths of the climate change resources included affordability, relevancy, and authenticity. Some weaknesses of the resources identified by the National Parks included a lack of grade levels, materials, park-specific data, and hopefulness. This study suggests that there are a variety of climate change educational resources available for teachers to utilize from National Parks. Implications are shared for teachers, teacher educators, and informal educators.

Abstract:

Research has shown that teacher candidates (TCs) can improve and refine their teaching skills by engaging in rapid, critical self-reflection and adaptation through the core pedagogical practice of repeated teaching experiences - multiple iterations of teaching the same lesson with different students. This presentation describes how repeated teaching experiences were adapted and integrated into an online science methods course at an urban university. Respondents noted that while they viewed the first iteration of their lesson as “good,” 96% agreed/strongly agreed that their teaching improved as they repeated the lesson and 93% agreed or strongly agreed that their understanding of the science content improved because of the repeated teaching experiences. The presentation discusses how the repeated experiences were facilitated, the challenges and benefits, lessons learned, and key considerations for its implementation.

Abstract:

The expansion of online environments for education poses logistical and pedagogical challenges for early secondary science teachers and learners. Since the 1990s, the adoption of online coursework across both EC-12 and higher education settings has increased even during economic downturns. Yet, EC-12 teachers report feeling underprepared or overwhelmed by online learning environments. How do we, as science teachers, deliver enactive mastery experiences in an online environment that leads to age/grade-level appropriate science content knowledge and literacy, but also collaborative experiences in the inquiry process and the nature of science? This themed paper set, based on the forthcoming book Teaching and Learning Online: Science for Secondary Grade Levels, features five chapters/papers exploring the benefits and challenges of teaching elementary science in online environments. These papers focus on Inquiry/NOS in Digital Spaces, Using Engineering Design for Inclusive Online Classrooms, Addressing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity, Getting Our "Joy" Back in Online Science Teaching, and Using 3D Virtual Reality. The purpose of both the book and this themed paper session is to help teachers and teacher educators connect theory with practice and explore both the challenges and opportunities of teaching science in online environments.

Abstract:

The expansion of online environments for education poses logistical and pedagogical challenges for early childhood and elementary science teachers and early learners. Since the 1990s, the adoption of online coursework across both EC-12 and higher education settings has increased even during economic downturns. Yet, EC-12 teachers report feeling underprepared or overwhelmed by online learning environments. This has exacerbated the well-documented and persistent challenge of elementary teachers’ lack of confidence and low science teaching self-efficacy. How do we, as science teachers, deliver enactive mastery experiences in an online environment that leads to age/grade-level appropriate science content knowledge and literacy, but also collaborative experiences in the inquiry process and the nature of science? This themed paper set, based on the forthcoming book Teaching and Learning Online: Science for Elementary Grade Levels, features five chapters/papers exploring the benefits and challenges of teaching elementary science in online environments. These papers focus on Inquiry/NOS, Strategies and Tools for Online Collaborative Learning, Addressing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity, Using Questioning to Foster Online Discussion, and Connecting Students and Scientists. The purpose of both the book and this themed paper session is to help teachers and teacher educators connect theory with practice and explore both the challenges and opportunities of teaching science in online environments.

Abstract:

The Learning in Places Collaborative developed a Phenology Wheel (2020) as a framework for teaching and learning within their seasonal storyline. The Phenology Wheel includes 10 cyclical “rhythms” including planetary rhythms, natural kinds rhythms, species rhythms, and seasonal rhythms. These rhythms can be used as themes or frames on which to build integrated life, earth, and physical science investigations of seasonal changes, and data for these field-based investigations can be collected through nature journals. Learning in Places (LiP) puts conversations about power and historicity at the center of its frameworks, and uses nature-culture relations, field-based science skills, and family and community funds of knowledge are woven throughout their seasonal storyline. The LiP frameworks give teacher candidates an opportunity to see examples of how culturally sustaining pedagogy can look in their future classrooms. Using a nature journal as a tool to tie together the concepts and skills from an elementary science methods course gives an opportunity for teacher candidates to practice integrating science with literacy, visual art, social studies, and mathematics in concrete ways, and can also be an effective way to authentically include socio-emotional learning. This exploratory presentation will give participants an opportunity to practice activities that can be used for each of the cyclical rhythms, while considering and discussing how nature-culture relations can be used as a theme and nature journaling can be used as a tool to tie together concepts and skills. Both paper-based (Lund & Lyndell, 2021) and digital tools will be explored in this context; participants may find it helpful to download the free Survey 123 app prior to the presentation, but online versions are also available.

Abstract:

This presentation covers research from my dissertation, which sought to understand the evolution of four elementary teachers’ (grades 1-3) teaching of science with representations over the course of one year of participation in a multi-structured professional development (PD) project. The notion of learning to teach science using a range of representations is a critical practice of modeling in science (NRC, 2012). Two research questions guided the study: 1) How do the elementary teachers’ plans for, enactment of, and reflection on science lessons evolve over the course of their first year in an adaptive PD project? 2) How does the teachers’ progress inform the team in making decisions about how the PD should evolve? Several pre-collected data sources were analyzed and triangulated including semi-structured interviews, video recordings of teaching, unit plans, and lesson plans. Additionally, retrospective interviews were conducted with two members of the team. Employing an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) (Smith et al., 2009) results from this study uncovered three themes from the teachers’ practices: a) an increased focus on students’ thinking, b) explicit instruction on scientific practices, and c) a shift in representational use from teacher led to student led. The interviews with the coaches revealed they listened closely to the teachers needs and responded to their observations and discussions with the teachers about their practices.  This process afforded the PD team the opportunity to adapt the PD design as needs arose with respect to both teachers’ goals and the project’s goals. This study provides a detailed look at the advantages of using an adaptive approach to PD, which also includes many of the critical components of PD (Garet et al., 2001). Implications for teacher educators and researchers of teacher education regarding methods of working with teachers and analyzing the process of evolution in their practices are discussed.

Abstract:

The Framework for K-12 Science Education (NRC,2012) highlights the Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs) as a dimension that requires explicit instructional support. The goal of this explicit instruction is to prepare students who can use the CCCs to strengthen their understanding of scientific ideas. However, preservice and inservice elementary and secondary science teachers alike experience difficulties comprehending the CCCs and their relevance to instruction and assessment (Authors, 2016; Authors, 2020a). Further, preservice and inservice science teachers have often not participated in explicit learning experiences related to the CCCs themselves (Lederman & Lederman, 2013). Given this dearth of experience, it is essential our instruction as teacher educators include explicit support for understanding the CCCs and their use in science teaching and learning. In this session, teacher educators from eleven different institutions share their challenges and insights around teaching the CCCs to preservice and inservice elementary and secondary teachers and their instructional strategies responding to those challenges. Participants will select and participate in two instructional strategies centered on developing preservice and inservice teacher understanding of the CCCs, and then brainstorm modifications to and applications of the strategies for their context. A Google Folder will be provided that contains information about each of the strategies and additional strategies and resources.

Abstract:

This innovations paper describes a design partnership with university faculty and informal environmental educators that developed a desktop virtual reality field trip (dVFT) to learn about the environmental changes leading to a Superfund designation that occurred during the past two centuries as a result of a zinc smelting plant operation in our watershed. The Lehigh River watershed is quite unique since it was a driving force of the industrial revolution in the United States during the 19^th century and thus has broad appeal to those living in other geographic locations. We provide background on place-based learning and the affordances that virtual reality (VR) and VR field trips can provide for learning. We describe our design and development approach and present the resulting dVFT. We discuss how the dVFT was used in an environmental education course during a global pandemic. The course included preservice and inservice secondary science teachers. The students experienced both immersion and presence when using the dVFT, which served two main purposes in the course. Firstly, it provided students who were unable to attend the optional field trip with a meaningful experience to learn about an important environmental issue and remediation process. Secondly, the dVFT served as a valuable foundational learning activity for students to familiarize themselves with the actual field site prior to going to the physical site location. Implications for science teacher educators interested in developing a dVFT are discussed.

Abstract:

This study is for investigating high school girls’ system thinking skills about the carbon cycle and its impact on global temperature increase. One hundred and fifty-seven female freshman students participated in a program that offers opportunities for analyzing data and predicting the future carbon dioxide ratio using an Excel program and actual data of carbon cycle in the atmosphere and global temperature. Students’ system thinking was measured by three sources of data; 1) the number of carbon cycles and feedback loops drawn in the causal maps before and after class, 2) future carbon dioxide prediction graphs students make using Excel program, and 3) students’ answers in the open-ended questions during the class. The result shows that the students' system thinking level was improved overall after the program. Although some (30%) students’ system thinking levels changed hierarchically from one level to another, changes within a certain level (strengthened, maintained, or weakened system thinking skills) were also identified. In addition, the graph analysis of changes in the future atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration predicted by the students reveals that about half of the student groups showed the ability to generalize the phenomenon and understand the periodic characteristics of the system. Although the program and the analysis framework developed in the study did not reflect all elements of system thinking, it is meaningful in terms of measuring the detailed improvement of students' system thinking skills within one level. We expect the program content and system thinking analysis framework could be easily used in the high school science context.

Abstract:

Scientific literacy has long been a goal of science educators (Laugksch, 2000), and is currently a key piece of the Next Generation Science Standards (National Research Council, 2012). Unfortunately, many teachers focus only on content knowledge, ignoring or giving little attention to other aspects of scientific literacy. While content is important, content alone is insufficient in providing students with the skills and knowledge needed to be scientifically literate citizens. Instead of focusing on content alone, preparing students (most of whom will not become scientists) to engage with socioscientific issues (SSI) is a must. In exploring the SSI framework, several researchers have studied the specific knowledge bases that individuals draw from when reasoning about SSI. However, studies have mostly focused on an individual knowledge base and its relation to SSI instead of investigating the use of multiple knowledge bases. 

Our study used a think-aloud protocol to analyze the knowledge bases that in-service secondary science teachers use when reasoning about SSIs. During the think-aloud protocol, participants were given a news article about the use of road salt and asked to read it and verbally express their thoughts regarding the article. Results from this study make clear that although science content knowledge was used, the science teachers drew from their understanding of media and technology more heavily when interpreting an SSI in the news. 

This study offers insight for both science teachers and science teacher educators on the knowledge bases used when considering SSIs. While scientific media literacy and the nature of technology have appeared in a few articles in science education journals, ASTE members may find this research useful in sparking new ideas for helping the teachers with which they work engage in these often overlooked aspects of scientific literacy.

Abstract:

Research-driven best-practices in education and pedagogical techniques are not always disseminated or implemented efficiently within engineering departments. Often, the transfer of pedagogical knowledge resembles a “one-way street” with information being transferred from education “experts” in the form of workshops, seminars, or other professional development to engineering faculty in a non-participatory or passive manner. In these contexts, engineering faculty receive information about active learning and pedagogy but not in such a way that they feel empowered to implement these methods in their own classrooms. This approach creates an unequal dynamic that is antithetical to active learning, inhibits faculty growth, and may be a detriment to student learning.

Education methods faculty training K-12 STEM teaching candidates are often in need of new and creative means to illustrate STEM instruction to their students. Elementary and secondary science methods professors have been found to have frustration with integrating STEM with methods and in particular engineering when they themselves have not had training to be effective engineering educators. A key component of addressing this difficulty is the STEM content expert including engineering faculty.

The following research question was posed: Does the collaborative development of learning activities and their subsequent implementation in the classrooms between faculty in the College of Engineering and the College of Education result in more robust change of practice? The hypothesis is that an equal collaboration will be beneficial to both sides and will promote deeper implementation of research-driven pedagogical techniques on both “sides” of campus. The faculty research grant team consisted of two engineering and three education professors.

This project included an in-depth literature review of CPL, development and implementation of the proposed collaborative framework by each faculty investigator, and qualitative assessment of the results. Data collected to this point involve the use of COPUS and RTOP.

Abstract:

Many teacher preparation programs include practice-based opportunities for preservice teachers. The purpose of these experiences is to expose those wishing to teach to the complexity and unpredictability of the classrooms in which they will be expected to practice. The application of virtual reality (VR) has received considerable research and popular attention. The purpose of this study is to investigate and compare how VR based Preservice teachers (PST) experiences and microteaching experiences differ and manifest acute stress, creativity, and cognitive demand. Forty-eight healthy, college aged undergraduate students in the second year of their teacher preparation program were recruited from a single elementary teacher education program in the Northeastern United States. Participants were randomly assigned to either microteaching condition or VR conditions. This allowed the researchers to examine both the effects of VR and microteaching and the relationship of scores on the TTCT to stress and hemodynamics responses as a measure of cognitive demand. Results suggest that VR may act as a means to provide a wide range of experiences with consistency but also allow for individualization of learning. The factors (creativity, stress, and cognitive demand), among others, moderate the degree to which in class experiences provide opportunity for preservice science teachers to combine theory and practice to produce novel outcomes as they plan for and work within the classroom. The use of VR as a means to provide initial experiences provides repeated practice of targeted skills, in controlled environments with commonalty of experiences without adverse effects for actual students and reduces negative effects on PSTs.

Abstract:

Student attitudes toward science class have been found to impact their current and future engagement with science class and perhaps their achievement (Osbourne et al, 2003; YouthInsight, 2020). Further, students prefer active learning experiences over explicit instruction (for example, Freeman et al., 2014; Michael, 2006). The purpose of this study is to examine the attitudes toward science class of a grade six class taught throughout their primary years using an inquiry-based approach.

Attitude towards science class is defined as “a general and enduring positive or negative feeling” about school science class (Petty & Cacioppo, 1981, p. 7). Because a student’s attitude has been found to influence their behaviour, this study is framed using Ajzen’s (1991) ‘Theory of Planned Behaviour’.

Four data sources were used. An informal semi-structured interview with the classroom teacher and observations of classroom practice were used to gain an understanding of the classroom context and explicit methodologies used in science classes. ‘Science Attitude Scale’ (Wang & Berlin, 2010) was administered to students. Survey results determined whether students had a positive, negative or neutral attitude towards science class, as well as providing some basic reasons as to why these attitudes exist. The last form of data was focus group interviews. Groups were formed based on the Science Attitude Scale data (positive, negative or neutral attitudes towards science). The teacher and focus group interview data and classroom observations were analysed through an A priori and emergent data analysis process (Miles et al., 2018). The Science Attitude survey data was analysed quantitatively, providing a mean score for each of the subscales and an overall score for the instrument (Wang & Berlin, 2010). The quantitative results were triangulated with the qualitative results for a more complete response to the research premise.

Abstract:

The impact of climate change ranges from land catastrophes to the loss of human life. Global initiatives towards minimizing this effect persist but they are not enough to match the severity of the looming impacts. One of the vital contributions is to cultivate students’ awareness and care for the plants and the environment. School gardens can offer a setting that nurtures learners who are eager to take care of plants and hence the environment in general. This form of outdoor education involving plants affords opportunities for experiential and practical learning. This research highlights the role of school gardens, as an outdoor educational setting for experiential learning, in raising students’ environmental awareness.

This study uses a mixed-method case study design to investigate the role of school gardens in fostering students’ environmental and sustainability consciousness. The primary source of data are participants’ (teachers and a school principal) interviews about the school garden and its role in teaching and learning. The research questions explored include: 1) What are the attitudes of teachers and administration towards the school garden project? 2) From teachers’ and a principal’s perspective, how does participating in a school garden influence students’ environmental awareness? and 3) If, and to what extent are school gardens effective instructional contexts in environmental education?

Overall, participants demonstrated positive attitudes toward school gardens as they considered gardens an effective instructional strategy for teaching curriculum content as well as establishing a positive connection with nature among students. The potential of school gardens as agents of environmental change is highlighted to encourage teachers to utilize this instructional context.

Abstract:

Differentiated instruction (DI) is a teaching approach that aims to achieve learning for students of diverse backgrounds, abilities, and interests. This study explores how DI is understood by STEM teacher candidates (TCs) at a Canadian university. It explores DI-focused strategies TCs’ views, understandings, and implementation of DI. This paper addresses the following research questions: 1) How do TCs develop and implement the curriculum to be inclusive of DI strategies using case studies as a teaching tool? 2) If, and to what extent are case studies on socio-scientific issues (SSI) effective tools to implement DI in secondary science classes?

The overall study adopts a mixed method approach, in which data collection tools include pre-post questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and TCs' course work. In this paper, the authors present the analysis of one of the course tasks – case studies of SSI. Overall, the results show that the DI-focused task was effective in promoting TCs’ conceptions and implementation of DI. This reiterates the importance of professional development opportunities aimed at enhancing in-service teachers’ and pre-service teachers’ preparation to integrate DI in their practices. Furthermore, case studies of SSI were effective tools to differentiate instruction, with TCs performance ranked as satisfactory in differentiating the process and outcomes of learning, yet showing a need for more training in DI to be able to attend to all students’ needs, backgrounds, and academic levels. This research equips STEM teachers with practical tools, and informs teacher educators, educational researchers, and curriculum designers about the effectiveness of similar professional development opportunities to ensure equitable and high-quality education for all students.

Abstract:

Contemporary expectations for school science in most jurisdictions include preparing students to critically understand and potentially address socio-scientific issues that affect their lives, culture, and environment. Though detailing teachers’ motivation to enact these goals for science education is increasing, research specifically exploring the professional development conditions necessary to support its actualization remains sparse. This research is guided by the question: How do features of a professional development program enable British Columbian science teachers to successfully respond to socio-scientific issue-oriented curricular reform in their classrooms? Significant professional development features included the formation of a practice-oriented learning community and the use of a theoretical framework to scaffold the sense-making and articulation of pedagogical decisions. Implications for future professional development are discussed.

Abstract:

The Sustainable Bioeconomy Program was designed to address challenges of shortages in bioeconomy industries through an educational innovation, funded by a USDA grant. This program was an interdisciplinary collaboration between a College of Education and a College of Natural Resources at a research university in the southeastern US. High school teachers from ten high needs counties were selected based on their expressed interest in the bioeconomy, relevant content taught, and teacher pairs at a school. This qualitative study investigated the underlying motivations for sixteen teachers’ decisions to implement project lessons in their classrooms, using task value constructs from expectancy-value theory (EVT). Teachers’ two interviews following years 1 and 2 and three relevant forum responses were selected, blinded, then analyzed and coded using the task value constructs from EVT. Based on weighted (low and high effort) classroom implementation of labs, activities, and other program components, sixteen teachers were split into Low, Medium, and High implementation groups. All of the teachers expressed similar value for teacher professional development (TPD). However, teachers with the lowest level of enactment perceived the highest costs and had the lowest focus on utility for students. Teachers with the highest level of implementation expressed the greatest focus on utility for students and the lowest focus on costs. Our study suggests that teachers’ task values - particularly those focused on usefulness for their students and their perceptions of the costs involved - influenced their enactment of the new lessons. Implications for TPD will be shared.

Abstract:

Learning how to facilitate discussions that engage K-12 students in productive scientific argumentation is a critical instructional practice that can be challenging for preservice teachers (PSTs) to learn how to do well. To address this issue, our team is currently working to revolutionize science teacher education through the creation of a suite of online practice-based spaces where PSTs can tryout and refine their ability to engage in the high-leverage teaching practice of facilitating argumentation-focused discussions. These practice-based spaces can be used within both in-person and synchronous or asynchronous online instruction and include: (1) interactive, online digital games that create targeted practice spaces to engage PSTs in considering and responding to students’ content-focused ideas and interactions; (2) performance-based tasks that provide opportunities for PSTs to practice facilitating discussions with a group of five avatars in a simulated classroom; and (3) for elementary only, a virtual reality (VR) environment and accompanying scenarios that afford interactions between a teacher avatar and up to eight student avatars that are immersed in a whole classroom environment. The aim of this exploratory session is to share with the ASTE membership innovative activities from four of our participating science teacher educators, including how they designed and used with their PSTs within one or more of these online, practice-based spaces. The sharing and critical reflection on these activities will support conference attendees in expanding their current knowledge about innovative approaches to use to help build PSTs’ ability to facilitate argumentation-focused discussions. Participants will have opportunities to consider how they could apply these approaches within various teacher education settings and how they could adapt them for use within their local science education contexts.

Abstract:

Our intersecting research teams have begun to study the potential effects of developing students’ empathy in the context of integrated STEAM instruction. Through this work, we have found that empathy can serve as a key ingredient in several aspects of students’ STEAM learning and engagement. A key shift must be made for our students, even now more than ever, one that moves beyond the perspective of STEAM education from a workforce and global economic focus towards empathy-grounded STEAM learning as a humanistic pursuit to generating novel solutions. McGee and Bentley (2017) contend that purposefully including empathy into STEAM could offer broader access to STEM related careers for all students. STEAM learners have an immense desire to improve the current disarray of global concerns (e.g., diminishing world-health, economic concerns, quality of life-disparities), and thus STEAM education should provide outlets to address these concerns, or students may not feel connected to STEM experiences or careers (McGee & Bentley, 2017). Importantly, empathy must be built through experiences (Rogers, 1975) and empathetic experiences must be built around the core idea of students using STEAM education content and practices to address real-world concerns, so that ultimately students can realize the importance of STEAM content understanding and applications to the world around them (Authors, 2020; Authors, 2019). In this proposed session, we will share three empathy-related key takeaways from our intersecting research teams. This session (1) shares existing literature on the use of empathy in education; (2) synthesizes key empathy findings from STEAM research; and (3) poses next steps for the field of STEAM education. We will conclude by posing next steps for the field of STEAM education that directly benefit K-12 students, particularly those historically minoritized in STEAM, with a lens on both pre-service teacher education as well as in-service education.

Abstract:

While a theoretical basis for conceptualizing pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) for different levels, the authors are unaware of any empirical investigation into how the levels, or grain sizes, of PCK might be distinct. The recent Refined Consensus Model (RCM) of PCK (Carlson & Daehler, 2019) recognized the existence of broader forms of PCK, but provided limited description of those levels. Therefore, further investigation is warranted to describe discipline, domain, and topic-specific PCK and investigate the relationships among them. An increased understanding of the different levels of PCK may afford more thorough investigations into the preparation of science teachers, particularly in the context of teacher preparation programs. 

Data were collected primarily through the use of a Content Representation (CoRe) document (Loughran et al., 2004) and semi-structured interviews (Seidman, 2013). Data were analyzed using qualitative techniques including descriptive, process, and values coding (Saldaña, 2013), and at least two researchers examined all data and agreed upon prominent themes reported. 

Preservice teachers in this study were consistent in their approach to teaching across the three levels of PCK. However, they struggled to think beyond singular lessons or units and exhibited only a vague idea how such topics might be organized into broader frameworks. Thus, science methods courses may need to offer students opportunities to identify threads that connect different units or domains and reflect on how they might facilitate such connections for students. Additionally, based on the findings of this study, soliciting preservice teachers’ topic-specific PCK seems to be the most effective way to assess knowledge of teaching, as the CoRe data for specific topics exhibited the most detailed accounts of participants’ knowledge and rationales for instructional decisions. Potential methodological issues for future research will be discussed.

Abstract:

Integration of culturally-responsive, asset-based approaches into elementary-level engineering education enables students to better engage with the learning experiences, which aides in the development of their engineering identities. To build this increased engagement, it is necessary to understand how students conceptualize engineering through their unique sociocultural lenses.  Therefore, this study was designed to investigate how elementary students conceptualize engineering in different educational settings, including rural contexts and on an American Indian Reservation. Leveraging partnerships within distinct and diverse 5^th grade classrooms in rural and American Indian Reservation settings in Montana, baseline assessments of students’ engineering perceptions were made using instruments including the Draw an Engineer Test (DAET; Knight and Cunningham, 2004) and the Engineering Identity Development Scale (EIDS; Capobianco, et al. 2012). Findings suggest that rural and American Indian students’ perceptions of engineers differ by gender, and that students from rural and American Indian schools differed in their willingness to consider engineering in the future. These results are now being used to help frame asset-based approaches to engineering education interventions for underrepresented elementary students. Ultimately, we hope to use these new understandings and approaches to inform identity-congruent and inclusive elementary-level engineering education.

Abstract:

 Because self-efficacy is a key variable that influences teacher effectiveness and retention, we propose a conceptual framework, based on prior findings and recommendations in the literature, for future studies that intend to focus on challenges and opportunities related to promoting self-efficacy in science and engineering teaching among elementary teachers. 

The objective of this proposed framework is not to provide a fixed model, but to offer recommendations or guidelines for future researchers working on the topics such as:

• identifying elements of preservice and in-service teacher training that support the development of self-efficacy
• tracking changes in elementary teachers’ self-efficacy as they shift from preservice programs to in-service teaching positions
• identifying the relationship between self-efficacy, teaching effectiveness, and disposition to remain in teaching.

With these objectives guiding our work, our goal in future studies is to generate a set of empirical recommendations for preservice and in-service education and training opportunities that support self-efficacy development, and thereby influence effectiveness and retention. By identifying key timepoints in the teaching career trajectory when self-efficacy wanes, as well as experiences that support self-efficacy development, research-based recommendations can be used to strengthen the design of preservice and in-service teacher education.

The framework posits a link between self-efficacy and job satisfaction (Klassen & Chiu, 2011), persistence in working within the challenging environments of high-need schools, perseverance, and resiliency despite the challenges that occur while negotiating the contextual factors and self-confidence to teach science (Yost, 2006).

The presentation will expand on each of the critical links in greater detail.

Abstract:

Effective teaching requires understanding that goes beyond merely knowing the subject matter and includes other forms of professional knowledge that teachers draw upon as they engage in the work of teaching within a specific discipline –content knowledge for teaching (CKT).  CKT exists at the intersection of subject matter knowledge about a topic and the teaching practices teachers engage in. To further define CKT, we draw on the ‘Work of Teaching Science’ (WOTS) framework  (Authors et al., 2018) which includes 27 science teaching practices organized in 7 broader categories that research has identified as critical for beginning elementary science teachers to know how to do well to be effective practitioners. While CKT could be applied to any content area, we chose to focus on matter and its interactions due to the complexity of the topic and its prevalence in the NGSS for elementary grade bands. Our NSF grant-funded project has worked to develop an assessment to measure preservice elementary teachers’ understanding of CKT for matter and its interactions, as well as educative curriculum materials for teacher educators to use to develop preservice elementary teachers’ CKT for teaching about matter and its interactions. This exploratory session would provide some general information about CKT, share some sample assessment items, and provide round table explorations of our educative curriculum materials. We currently have 6 sets of educative curriculum materials, or packets, that have been piloted and are available for use. Each packet focuses on a different intersection of content specific to matter and its interactions (e.g., conservation of matter), and category of science teaching practices (e.g., teaching practices involving scientific models and representations) represented in the WOTS framework. The roundtable breakouts will allow teacher educators to familiarize themselves with the packets, and ask general questions about their implementation, or more specific questions about use in particular contexts or courses.

Abstract:

While the literature cites a number of examples for why STEM teachers leave high-need school (HNS) contexts, there are fewer studies that address why teachers stay. The nine participants of this study completed the Noyce Scholars program with a master’s degree in secondary science or mathematics education between (2010–2016) and had a range of experiences teaching in HNSs, between [5 and 11 years]. Our overarching research question guiding this study is: Why do Noyce scholars continue to teach in HNSs past their years of obligation to the scholarship? This question was delineated into two sub-questions: a) What pre-existing experiences and factors drew them into the role of teaching STEM in a HNS; b) What aspects of scholar's identities and social experiences in HNSs have supported their commitment and persistence in the field? Using a qualitative methodology and thematic analysis, we conducted a semi-structured interview that allowed participants to share stories and clarify how they internalized experiences within their unique context of a HNS. All participants had experiences in their formative years, which contributed to their teacher identities; identities included being a social justice advocate, teacher researcher, and one who is able to thrive amid challenging circumstances. These identities were supported by familial relationships with administrators, colleagues, and students, and validation through various feedback forms on their successes. These factors support teachers not just to remain but to flourish amid highly demanding contexts. Our findings provide policy implications for state and district education agencies to examine systemic approaches for facilitating community networks that foster validation, support, and retention of STEM teachers. The findings from this study suggest a need for administrators to consider that either a perceived lack of success or a perceived lack of an in-building community network can lead exceptional teachers to seek alternative avenues to make a difference in their communities.

Abstract:

Curiosity is a motivational force that can assist in increasing student continuing engagement with science instruction. Curiosity has been correlated with enhanced learning and cognitive ability (Ainley et al., 2002; Alberti & Witryol, 1994; Hogan & Greenberger, 1969; Maw, 1961). Studies have repeatedly shown curiosity is a direct predictor of academic achievement, with the consensus that it is a desirable trait to foster, particularly for schools (Cain, 2019; Spielberger & Starr, 1994; Von Stumm et al., 2011)

While researchers have examined curiosity dimensions over the last 60 years, no universally accepted theory or measures yet exist. Central to this issue is the complex interplay of social, psychological, developmental and neurological processes. These processes influence and are affected by many factors, making the applicability of curiosity theories to teaching and learning both challenging and limited. Often the measures employed will too narrowly quantify or qualify specific dimensions of curiosity, addressing ‘isolated lower-order factors of curiosity’ (Peterson & Seligman, 2004, p.131). A review of the instruments by Jirout and Klahr (2012) revealed that empirical research typically focuses on the early years of education, university students or adult populations, leaving the crucial period of early adolescence void of empirical evidence.

As a result, the Adolescent Curiosity Scale (ACS) was developed. Working from a base of existing instruments, items were selected that focused on cognitive, physical and social curiosity components of curiosity. Following review by a panel of experts to ascertain face and content validity, cognitive interviews with students were used to reduce the suite of potential survey items. Through a series of factor analyses and other statistical testing procedures, the ACS was created.  The ASC contains 21 items for cognitive curiosity, 18 items for physical curiosity and 10 items for social curiosity. All subscales had high reliabilities, with Cronbach’s α = .86 (cognitive), .83 (physical) and .75 (social).

Abstract:

Science teacher education literature has emphasized the importance of prospective teachers’ prior knowledge of their K-12 experiences as a key factor influencing their professional development as future science teachers. The purpose of the study was to identify the predominant teaching practices in prospective teachers’ prior knowledge of science instruction prior to their enrollment in a science teaching methods course. Constructs from the practice-based theory of teaching, reform-based science instruction and the pedagogy of poverty framework collectively served as the conceptual lens to focus on teaching practices. Three-hundred and sixty-one prospective teachers took part in this qualitative study. Visual (drawings) and written (narratives) served as the data and narrative analysis was used to identify and categorize teaching practices. The predominant teaching practices were framed by the pedagogy of poverty (68.4%) (giving information and directions). Other teaching practices included a combination of teaching practices framed by the pedagogy of poverty and core science teaching practices (28.0%) (giving information and directions, engaging students in investigations, and facilitating classroom discourse), and teaching practices that reflected core science teaching practices (8.0%) (engaging students in investigations, and facilitating classroom discourse). Prospective teachers in this study had identified and accepted as knowledge-for-practice from their K-12 classroom experiences a set of limited or limiting teaching practices. The findings indicated that prospective teachers’ prior knowledge of science instruction reflected the inclusion and an over reliance on specific teaching practices that contradicted current reforms in science education even though the teachers themselves it was expected that prospective teachers would have experienced K-12 science instruction as stipulated by the reforms and thus, will have had experiences of teaching practices reflecting the reforms.  

Abstract:

As a part of a NSF funded Noyce Capacity Building project aiming to inspire college-level STEM students to pursue a career in K-12 teaching, our university formed a partnership with a regional science center to strengthen K-12 STEM teacher education pathways. We provided a paid summer internship opportunity at the science center for STEM majors to work alongside educators to design and implement hands-on, inquiry-based science activities with students from the various grade levels to develop their teaching skills and interest in STEM education. 

The ten STEM interns who took part in the internship at the science center’s STEM summer camps acquired valuable training and professional development experience. The interns used the engineering design processes and inquiry-based learning centered on the key performance expectations of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS, 2013) to conduct these summer camps. The internship was a positive experience for the STEM students and it increased the interest of several students in the teaching profession, with two of the ten students indicating and initiating plans for pursuing education.  

Perspectives of interns offered insights into opportunities and experiences STEM students found valuable pertaining to their interest in education. Offering an internship experience in STEM education during the undergraduate STEM degree can offer students an opportunity to cultivate an interest in pursuing an academic career as a K-12 STEM teacher.

Abstract:

Preparing elementary preservice teachers to teach engineering has been a priority within science education due to the inclusion of engineering design within the most recent national science standards. These reform efforts have required both preservice and inservice teachers to adopt new ways of teaching that include incorporating engineering practices and engineering design units into their curriculum. As a result, adopting these new ways of teaching may require preservice and inservice teachers to negotiate their science teacher identities in relation to science education reform efforts. Yet understanding how elementary preservice teachers’ science teacher identities intersect with reform recommendations has been underexplored.

To help science teacher educators prepare reform-minded preservice elementary science teachers, this poster presentation aims to outline the process we took to conduct a systematic literature review that shows the multiple ways science teacher identity has been operationalized in science education. We then use this synthesis to provide a compelling rationale for a new area of research.  

Results revealed several ways that science teacher identity has been conceptualized and studied. It was useful in identifying an understudied intersection between science teacher identity and science education reform efforts. Implications are discussed for science methods instructors and other science teacher educators.

Abstract:

The COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of most K-12 schools globally, abruptly shifting teaching to emergency remote teaching. STEM teachers in Canada faced a wide array of challenges that negatively affected their attitudes toward online teaching as well as their pedagogies. STEM teachers specifically reported insufficient preparation, lack of quality digital resources, and training to teach online. This study focuses on STEM teacher candidates’ (TCs’) preparation to teach online in a STEM curriculum and pedagogy course in a teacher education program at a Canadian university. The course was offered fully online and integrated many digital tools that teachers can utilize in their practicum and teaching careers. This paper addresses the following research questions: 1) What are STEM TCs’ initial attitudes and views toward online teaching? and 2) What is the impact of the digitally-enriched course on TCs’ attitudes toward online teaching and technological and pedagogical skills? The study utilized a mixed methods design. Data sources included pre-post questionnaires administered to TCs at the beginning and the end of the course; and TCs' course work. Overall, the results show a notable improvement in TCs’ pedagogical approaches, and reflections on personal abilities utilizing innovative teaching and assessment strategies in online teaching. This shows the positive impact of digitally-enriched curriculum on TCs’ i) technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPACK), specifically their technological and pedagogical skills; ii) self-efficacy towards utilizing technology in their teaching; and iii) attitudes toward online teaching. This research informs STEM teacher educators, educational researchers, and curriculum designers about the effectiveness of similar professional development practices and calls for empowering teachers to ensure an equitable and high-quality online education for all students.

Abstract:

The pandemic resulted in the inability of teacher education programs to place Preservice Science Teachers (PSTs) in course-based field experiences. Before PSTs enter their own classrooms, it is critical that they experience teaching K-12 students in authentic contexts (Hunter & Botchwey, 2017). However, local school districts were, understandably, not prepared or willing to permit PSTs to engage in course-based field experiences. Field experiences provide the ability for PSTs to contextualize knowledge and theories (Darling-Hammond, 2014). Moreover, the course-based field experience integrated into the course Classroom Interactions is designed to provide PSTs the ability to develop, implement, and analyze task-based discussions using the 5 Practices framework (Cartier, Smith, Stein, & Ross, 2013).  

During the pandemic K-12schools were teaching virtually and did not want to complicate the process by adding interns other than those in the final student teaching internship. We scrambled to recruit secondary students to participate in PST-designed lessons based on the 5 Practices. After a lackluster first attempt in the fall, we took a different approach in the spring and after a few dead ends, we had an epiphany. We contacted a state-based group of homeschoolers on social media and the response was overwhelming. After struggling to recruit secondary students to participate, we now had to turn them way due to high class sizes.

The enthusiasm and level of participation among homeschooled secondary students led to an amazing experience for not only the secondary students, but the PSTs and instructors as well. So much so, that we plan to continue to work with homeschooled students in the future. In this session we will describe our efforts to recruit secondary students in general, and homeschooled students in particular, to participate in task-based virtual math and science lessons and the response of the homeschool community to our efforts.

Abstract:

There is an ongoing need to improve elementary science education and continue the search for the best ways to prepare preservice elementary teachers (PSTs) to teach science in their future classrooms. Elementary teachers still struggle with teaching science when faced with the realities of their classrooms, such as math and literacy taking priority and lacking science instructional resources (Appleton & Kindt, 2002). Authentic field experiences in which PSTs teach science may provide opportunities for PSTs to feel prepared to teach science once they enter their own classrooms. Our study examines the ways in which a unique context of teaching science during a month-long, intensive, summer science program can help prepare PSTs to teach science. This paper will dive deeply into one aspect of the data, participants’ perceptions of “good science teaching” before and after participating in the program, and examine the relationship between these perceptions and participants’ self-efficacy as measured by the STEBI-B.

Abstract:

Previous research has compared science education assessments between different countries to gather a global perspective of how to improve student outcomes. To date, there are a few studies that have examined standardized biology exams from the US compared to other countries; such an examination could improve science education reform efforts. The purpose of this exploratory study is to compare the levels of scientific proficiency within a Singapore science content exam and a standardized biology test from the US. The 2015 PISA Framework on Scientific Proficiency was used to examine seven levels of science proficiency questions on the 2019 PLSE from Singapore compared to the 2019 Biology STAAR from the USA. The PISA framework was chosen because it measures science literacy with an emphasis on process mastery skills and the application of concepts. Two researchers categorized the exam questions along the seven levels of the PISA framework independently and resolved any disagreements. There were two major findings: (1) The Biology STAAR had a higher frequency of low level science proficiency questions compared to the PSLE and (2) for questions ranked at the same level of science proficiency, the Biology STAAR tested more scientific vocabulary while the PSLE tested more processing skills.By learning more about the levels of science proficiency within examination questions, we can help pre-service and in-service teachers develop the skills and knowledge needed to assist their students in becoming better equipped to improve students’ cognitive and process skills beyond rote memorization.

Abstract:

The focus of this workshop is the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework, which provides guidance for embedding evidence-based instructional practices to reduce barriers to learning for the widest range of learners, including students with disabilities and English Learners (CAST, 2018). Although the proactive use of the UDL framework to plan instruction is specifically recommended for supporting the science learning of students with disabilities (NGSS Lead States, 2013), UDL is not comprehensively addressed in many general pre-service teacher education programs (Lowrey, Classen & Sylvest, 2019; Vitelli, 2015), and pre-service teachers may not take what they have learned about UDL and successfully apply it to planning science instruction (Kahn, Pigman & Ottley, 2017). They require specific opportunities to deepen their understanding of UDL and apply it within the context of teaching science (Grande & Whalen, 2017). 

Additionally, in-service science teachers continue to report feeling underprepared to teach students with disabilities (Kahn & Lewis, 2014). Yet the number of students with disabilities who spend 80% or more of their time in general education classrooms, as well as the number of students identified as English Language Learners has continued to rise over the past decade (NCES, 2020). The workshop contributes to addressing the acute need for improved inclusive science teacher education by supporting the professional learning of science teacher educators. 

This workshop specifically focuses on strategies for integrating UDL as a topic into elementary and secondary science methods courses by experiencing model learning activities. Specifically, the objectives of the workshop are to describe possible strategies for integrating UDL as a topic into elementary & secondary science methods courses, and to identify and address common barriers to teacher candidates’ learning about UDL. Workshop activities include a pre-assessment of UDL knowledge, knowledge building and application tasks, debriefing discussions and resource sharing. 

Abstract:

The presenters worked with first-grade teachers to design and implement a 6-day science unit using multiple modes of representation and literacy practices to help students learn about carnivorous plant structure and function. At the end of the unit, first graders communicated their understanding through drawings and writing in a multimodal sequential explanation scaffold. Students were supported in the unit in aspects of genre-based pedagogy, including modeled and joint construction before independent writing. Sequential explanations involve a description of how a particular process in science works that requires steps to be a particular order. Students’ pre- and post-unit assessments were analyzed using quantitative and qualitative methods. Almost all of the first graders were able to compose a sequential explanation of how a Venus flytrap captures its prey in chronologically correct order, with most students drawing and/or writing about the role of key structures in their explanations. We found that students increased the inclusion of elements of Venus flytrap structures related to how they capture prey. Most student drawings in the explanation scaffold matched their writing, but did not contain the same information. This research adds to the body of knowledge about how the use of multimodal assessments can aid students in communicating their science ideas. Having students use drawing as a precursor to writing supported students in including certain pieces of science information in their writing (trigger hairs), while for most students, they chose to communicate science ideas in the scaffold either in the drawing or the writing, but not in both modes. This study leads to implications for how we should use multimodal assessments with elementary students in science.

Abstract:

Fewer than 5% of high school science teachers teaching in the natural sciences are Black, as compared to 84% of their White counterparts. Many reasons have been cited for the decline of education majors among Blacks, however, few studies have considered the motives that lead Black teachers to an educational career, and even fewer investigate the path to a career in science education.

This study, framed in Expectancy Value Theory (EVT) and Factors Influencing Teaching (FIT) Choice model, employed an explanatory sequential mixed methods research design to explain what factors influence Black novice and pre-service teachers (NPSTs) to pursue a career in science education. Based on the results of this study, Black NPSTs are motivated by many factors, including factors of social utility, ability, and career, and subject area interest. These factors are primarily influenced through prior teaching and learning experiences. Understanding the role of prior experiences has implications for teacher candidate recruitment and formal and informal learning programs.

Abstract:

According to the National Educational Technology Plan, the United States is committed to using the power of technology to reimagine education and offer new ways of learning. Interestingly, research shows that high-end technology does not always provide a better learning option than low-end technology. Part of the reason why high-tech does not always provide better learning is that our teachers are not adequately prepared and—when technology interventions are not implemented with high fidelity—it degrades the learning experience. This session will make the case that there are extremely valuable low-tech options for science education which require low-to-no cost and minimal preparation time in order to implement. Attendees will get a chance to play with tabletop science games, several of which are NGSS-aligned. Through interactive engagement, we will demonstrate that these science board games can encourage positive collaborative experiences, higher-order thinking skills, and attitudinal changes that our future scientists need. After participants have played with these low-tech games, we will present our research on Mountain Rescue, a collaborative tabletop game that engages players in STEM learning while immersed in an authentic and engaging context: seeking rescue from a plane crash. Then we will spark an essential, necessary discussion around why we feel compelled to use high-tech when there are so many benefits to low-tech.

Abstract:

National science education assessments such as NAEP demonstrate that even when students select the correct choice, they are typically unable to explain why. Infusion of self-regulated learning (SRL) tactics could be a step towards a deeper understanding of science for students. Individuals who self-regulate their learning exhibit improved time management skills, increased reflection, increased motivation, increased task interest and improved perceptions of self-efficacy. SRL has also been shown to improve student engagement, increase academic performance, and may also be able to support students across all developmental levels. However, the skill of SRL is rarely acquired in isolation. Secondary science classrooms may be an ideal context for students to acquire the skill of self-regulated learning because teacher behavior can influence the development of student self-regulated learning skills.  This multiple case study examined how eight secondary science teachers supported their students’ SRL development after an intensive, year-long, professional development. Analysis about the ways teachers supported student SRL revealed three major findings: (a) that the teachers involved in the study collectively designed instructional activities that supported the development of all three phases of self-regulated learning, (b) three of the eight teachers developed instructional lessons that explicitly used reflection to guide future cycles of SRL for their students, and (c) that the teachers mainly developed their students’ self-regulation skills through the coaching phases of observation and emulation. The second research question was focused on understanding how the teachers’ navigated the concept of process goals and product goals when designing their lessons and assessments. Data analysis revealed two major findings: (a) the majority of teachers involved in this study designed instructional activities to achieve process goals; and (b) the majority of teachers involved in this study struggled to align their evaluation methods with their instructional goals.

Abstract:

Women continue to be underrepresented in science despite myriad efforts to broaden participation. While the gender gap has narrowed in some disciplines of science, a disparity in representation persists in other disciplines. Previous study has indicated that attitudes toward science during the adolescent years may impact future participation in science. To better understand this phenomenon, the attitudes of middle school students toward science were examined using a causal-comparative design based on biological sex across four attitude constructs: attitudes toward school science, desire to become a scientist, value of science to society, and perceptions of scientists. A total of 450 sixth-eighth grade science students from the Northeast U.S. completed the My Attitudes Toward Science (MATS) survey during the 2017-2018 academic year. A multivariate analysis of variance indicated that no statistically significant differences in middle school students’ attitudes toward school science, desire to become a scientist, value of science to society, and perceptions of scientists existed based on biological sex of the students. Implications for the findings will be discussed in the presentation, including how the findings might be considered in future efforts to address inequitable representation of women in science.

Abstract:

Scientific literacy continues to be an area of interest to both scientists and science educators as recent experiences have demonstrated many examples where public understanding of science is often inaccurate or incomplete. This study focuses on a unique way to build science literacy in a cohort of preservice teachers who were completing their second science methods course. This study is a pilot study and the first part of a multi-year exploration of ways to promote science literacy to our preservice teachers as well as investigate effective ways to promote science literacy to elementary students and their parents. Our study utilized a university-wide project which had been focused on advancing data analytics and visual representations as an important tool for all students to leave college with. Our activity involved students choosing a scientific topic, reading a scientific article associated with that topic, and then creating artifacts that demonstrate an understanding of those. Students created a brochure and presentation which would be accessible to nonscientists, particularly elementary students, and their parents. For the current study, we measured the teacher’s scientific literacy based on the presentation and brochure artifact. Each of these articles was scored using a guide we created. The scores were then explored to better understand how well our preservice teachers were able to demonstrate an understanding of scientific literacy. Our findings support that overall students did understand scientific literacy, however, a bimodal distribution of scores suggests two different levels of expertise were attained by this group of students. Since our study is a pilot study, we hope participants will share their thoughts and experiences with similar research.