A Longitudinal Study of Science Teacher Preparation

1
A Longitudinal Study of Science Teacher
Preparation

• Charles W. (Andy) Anderson, Gail Richmond, Ajay
  Sharma, Shinho Jang, Kelly Grindstaff, In-Young
  Cho
• Michigan State University

2
Acknowledgement of Support

• This work is made possible in part by grants from
  the Knowles Foundation and the U.S. Department of
  Education

3
Overview of Secondary Teacher Preparation Program

• Five-year program
• Application/admission in sophomore year
• BA/BS degree in 4 years
• Fifth-year internship w/certification
• Field- and university-based experiences
• Diverse placements

4
Overview of Courses

• TE 150 (pre-admission)
• TE 250 (pre-admission)
• TE 301 (Junior year)
• TE 401, 402 (Senior or Pre-internship year)
• TE 501, 502, 801, 802, 803, 804 (Internship year)

5
Identity Core Values

• Respect
• Interest and motivation
• Connection to students
• Science learning

6
Problems of Practice

• Relearning science content developing goals for
  students content understanding
• Understanding students assessing their learning
• Developing teaching strategies
• Accessing/managing resources relationships

7
Transforming Scientists Science into School
Science

• Ajay Sharma and Charles W. Anderson

8
Purpose of the Study

• To examine the transformation of science from a
  scientists lab to a classroom.
• To explore the implications of this
  transformation for teacher candidates.

9
Science as Practiced by Scientists

• Science should not be seen as a sharply defined
  concept, but should be considered as denoting a
  series of paradigmatic examples including other
  closely similar activities.
• Two major common strands that run through the
  different paradigmatic examples associated with
  doing science
• Engagement in two dialogic relationships - with
  nature and with scientific community - that go
  hand-in-hand, deeply and inalienably intertwined,
  each enriching and building upon the other.
• Scientific discourse as an organ of persuasion.

10
Scientific research from a dialogic perspective

• Scientists while collecting data engage in a
  dialogue with nature.
• This dialogue provides them an experiential base
  from which they seek patterns, and draw
  explanations.
• Doing science also involves engagement in
  dialogic discursive relationships with other
  researchers for rhetorical purposes.

11
Science from a rhetorical perspective

• Communicating scientific research is a big part
  of a scientists work.
• Research communication as an act of persuasion.
• The influence of rhetoric on how scientific
  knowledge is presented and communicated.

12
Scientific Communication

• Genre of scientific communication - effective in
  persuading those who share experience and
  discourse.
• Empirical evidence as a rhetorical tool in
  research communication.
• Rhetorical demands on a scientific text act to
  present an edited, even distorted, image of
  scientific inquiry.
• Increasing nominalization in scientific texts.
• Research communication as dialogic interaction.

13
School Science

• Recontextualization of the scientific discourse.
• Effects of recontextualization on how science is
  presented and taught in classrooms
• Transformation of scientific knowledge into a
  crystallized, secure, fixed, body of knowledge.
• Increasing nominalization in textbooks.
• The change in the nature of dialogic relations.
• Scientific authority replaces empirical
  experience as the preferred means of persuasion.
• Students lack a meta-level awareness of the role
  and power of empirical evidence as a legitimate
  means of persuasion.
• Performance for grade exchange students
  reproduce authoritative knowledge in exchange for
  grades.

14
The nature of tensions between educator and
teacher candidate beliefs about science teaching
practice

• Gail Richmond Charles (Andy) Anderson

15
Assignments/Data Sources

• Teaching cycles (5)
• Clarifying goals
• Big ideas (patterns, models, theories)
• Examples of real-world systems, phenomena
• Objectives for student learning (practices
  relating big ideas to examples through
  application and inquiry
• Planning and teaching classroom activities
• Assessment, revision, reflection
• Analysis of 3 students learning
• Assessments for multiple purposes
• Analytically derived claims for learning
• Reflection on experiences rationale for
  revisions

16
Results

• Relearning science content/Developing goals for
  student understanding

17
What we value

• Helping students make sense out of the world by
  engaging them in application (making sense of
  patterns in experience) and inquiry (using
  scientific models and theories to solve practical
  problems or understand the material world)

18
What teacher candidates value

• Application inquiry
• Facts, definitions, algorithms
• Science appreciation

19
Angelyn Application and Inquiry

• Objectives were focused on application/inquiry
  and how students could demonstrate their
  understanding (e.g., Students will explain how
  the cell cycle helps living things maintain a
  stable internal environment Students will
  evaluate claims regarding potential agents that
  lead to mutations in the DNA that may lead to
  cancer)
• it is very easy to teach science as discrete
  units of information and this is a dangerous way
  to teach. In order to truly learn and love
  science the students must see how it all works in
  concert and be able to connect one idea to the
  next. Even if a lesson is well planned and
  potentially great it must lie in the correct
  sequence with the other lessons for the students
  to get the most out of it. (TE 401 Lesson 1
  Paper)

20

• After teaching this topic I have come to
  better understanding of how this topic fits into
  the bigger picture. I realized that the
  students needed to connect cancer to replication,
  translation, transcription, the cell cycle, and
  homeostasis. I was approaching this topic
  (cancer) with blinders on. I wanted the students
  to understand cancer, but what I never really
  realized was that this topic was an example or
  platform, in which to connect the topics
  mentioned above all together. (TE 402 Lesson
  paper)

21

• Its more than facts. To learn any unit in
  science really should go through the whole
  Whats the question? What are we seeing? What
  do we think? Whats our proof? Like that. And I
  think it should be infused in every
  lesson.(Interview, 21-April-02)

22
Jared Facts, definitions, algorithms

• Objectives had fact- or list-generating orientati
  on (e.g., List the factors that affect climate
  Name the inner outer planets) or were not
  directed at what students can do (e.g.,
  Understand how we measure earthquakes Understand
  how you can be safe during an earthquake and what
  you can do)

23

• My assessment task for this lesson was a
  worksheet that had vocabulary and section
  questions. As I went through my lesson I was able
  to ask questions about ideas from the lesson and
  see if the students understood them and when I
  thought they did I would tell them to look at the
  worksheet and fill it in so that as they went
  along they would be able to follow what was
  happening and so they could go back and refer to
  past information if I asked them a question. (TE
  402 Lesson 2 Paper)

24

• The handouts I usually go over with them, so
  that they understand what they got wrong and what
  is right, cause I do not like them to leave
  their classroom and know that granite forms from
  gneiss rocks, marble forms limestone. If they
  screw that up, I like them to know before they
  leave the classroom. . They had to define what
  is sedimentary rock. The good definition is
  important for them. And another one was the
  classification of sedimentary rocks. That in the
  book gives secondary headings or sub-secondary
  headings.(Interview , 12 April)

25
Sheila Science appreciation

• Objectives were vague not focused on concrete
  ways students could demonstrate understanding
  (e.g., Relate motion of objects to unbalanced
  forces in two dimensions), although ability to
  construct appropriate objectives improved over
  time.
• So for the most part this 3-day lesson was good.
  The activities were fun and kept the kids
  entertained while learning.I liked the activity
  that I did with the scientists and their views of
  the solar system. This got them thinking of the
  different views and how they looked and it
  allowed them a little fun time with cut, paste,
  and color. I also liked the activity where they
  drew the planets, colored them the way that they
  actually looked, and found facts on each planet.
  (TE 402, Three-Day Lesson Paper)

26

• I had a hard time, at the beginning, to think
  what I already know. Like what experiences they
  brought in, coming up with examples, real world
  examples..I was having a real tough time with
  that. Patterns were (a) big thing in my
  planning. Cause I wanted them to see those. The
  whole inner and outer and you know. What the
  atmospheres, they are different and similar to
  earth. So that was as big thing. And then
  explaining why that happened. That was really
  what I want them to saywhy? (Interview, 19 April
  02)

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Results (continued)

• Understanding students assessing their learning

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What we value

• The goal of helping students develop a deep
  understanding of science, which requires using
  what you know about students to
• Identify barriers to their understanding
• Create situations that motivate them to learn
• Develop fair assessments that address core
  concepts in meaningful ways

29
What Teacher Candidates Value

• Understanding students for assessment of learning
• Grading fairly Quantitative approach
• Grading fairly Qualitative approach

30
Angelyn Assessing student understanding

• Although Stans first 3 responses are lacking
  this connection, his last three begin to
  demonstrate this pattern in his thinking. For
  example he states that the function of a nerve
  cell is to carry messages to the brain and that
  for its shape it connects to other cells. I
  (am) assuming that he understand(s) that nerve
  cells connect to other cells to pass this message
  along. Again his example of function doesnt
  match exactly to the shape, but at least the main
  idea of sending a message is present in both
  examples He seemed to finally make the
  connection on this last example and this might be
  due to his prior knowledge. He wrote that its
  function is to destroy antigens and it helps it
  identify the antigen. Although I can assume
  that he (is) referring to antibodies on the
  outside of the picture of the cell he never
  really says that, so Im not entirely sure he
  grasped the pattern. I think that he is close to
  making the connection, but he needs more coaching
  and fading. (TE 401 Lesson report)

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Jared Grading Fairly/Quantitative

• I dont like pre-assessment. I think
  pre-assessment is a pain. When you give them (a)
  pre-assessment, they cant write anything because
  they did not learn it yet. (Interview, 12 April
  2002)
• The answers that they gave me to the same
  questions when I asked them were not the same
  ones on the assessment. It is like in the few
  minutes before they got the handout they forgot
  everything. Most of the answer were not to (sic)
  completely wrong they just seemed to get confused
  with the question or mixed up the names of the
  scientists.I believe they learned but I just
  think that they have just confused a few things.
  (TE 401 Lesson 2 Paper)

32
Sheila Grading Fairly/Qualitative

• During class she gave correct answers to
  questions that I posed to the class, and she
  seemed to really understand itshe even said she
  got it, which she never does. When I handed out
  the quick-write she was right up at the desk
  asking me if what she was thinking was
  right.(Rob) is a very quiet boy and doesnt
  really get involved in class. I need to try to
  get him more involved. I forget about the
  students that dont raise their hands..Kellis
  response was the best out of the three of
  them.She was the one that was paying attention
  during the lesson and gave answers to questions
  that were asked. Kelli seems to try pretty hard
  when doing her work. She doesnt always do real
  well, but she seems to give all of herself to her
  work. (TE401 Lesson 2 Paper)

33
Tensions between Values and Practices in Learning
to Teach Elementary Science

• Shinho Jang, Gail Richmond, and Charles W.
  Anderson

34
Background of the Four Elementary Candidates

• Amy B.A. in Outdoor and Environmental
  Recreation A State Park Naturalist a yearlong
  internship at an outdoor science school.
• Ken B.A. in Elementary Education not enjoyed
  learning chemistry and physics.
• Steve Pre-medicine major took many science
  courses two years of laboratory experience in
  the Medical Center.
• Leigh B.A. in Botany and Plant Pathology worked
  at the Plant Research Lab helping with a research
  project for more than 12 years.

35
Core values and concerns

• Two goals Student Interest Science Learning
• Amy I found that many of the students have
  negative associations with science, or really
  dont know much about it. I have worked hard to
  prepare a lesson that is both fun and engaging
  (Journal, 05/26/2002).
• Steve I want to make sure that Im not just
  playing games or doing fun experiments without
  getting the points across that theyre trying to
  discover through the experiments like the laws or
  whatever (Interview, 07/19/2002).

36
Understanding and teaching science content

• Made different choices to reconciling their
  desires
• Contrast in their approaches
• Some candidates saw their dual goals as
  inherently in conflictnot seeing science content
  as intrinsically interesting.
• Other candidates saw their dual goals as
  inherently in connectionseeking activities that
  would make science intrinsically interesting to
  students

37
Understanding and teaching science content

• Ken hands-on activities that were interesting
  for his students
• I believe that science can almost teach
  itself to students as long as it is set up
  properly for the students to discover and
  explore. That is how I learn best and how a lot
  of children learn best. The role of the teacher
  is to set up situations where students can learn
  best and then get out of the way (Autobiography,
  05/23/2002).
• Steve essential facts and definitions, even if
  that required a more didactic style of teaching.
• What Im trying to do in the classroom is to
  transfer knowledge, and transfer true knowledge,
  thats the ideal (Interview, 07/19/2002).

38
Understanding and teaching science content

• Amy the intrinsic interest of science lay in
  developing students appreciation of nature and
  empathy for animals and plants in our natural
  environment.
• This (lesson) will be accomplished through
  student involvement with a hands-on activity in
  which they pretend they are black bears in a
  forest gathering food (Lesson plan, 06/10/02).
• Leigh the intrinsic interest of science lay in
  the power of model-based reasoning
• When given a range of different liquids
  students will be able to calculate, compare, and
  describe the viscosities of the liquids based on
  their use of a viscometer (Lesson Plan,
  06/10/2002).

39
Understanding student thinking

• Their ways of understanding students varied
• Some candidates saw the goals of student
  interest and student learning as separate
• Other candidates sought to connect intrinsic
  student interest in science with student
  learning.

40
Understanding student thinking

• Ken finding evidence of students motivation,
  enthusiasm, and enjoyment
• I think its imperative that I can keep the
  kids interested, because if theyre just
  following my instructions and theyre not
  learning anything and, its really not any fun for
  them. The kids are going to pull a lot more out
  of it if the kids are excited and interested in
  what you are talking about (Interview,
  06/20/2002).
• Steve finding evidence of students acquired
  certain facts and correct definitions
• I just wanted to see if they actually knew
  the things that were actually taught them. For
  that one we had the blanks of the life cycle, and
  they filled in the blanks I think that they were
  able to distinguish between physical traits of
  the animals. I mean they could tell what was
  related, they knew that in the life cycle stage,
  they both started out as eggs (Interview,
  07/19/2002).

41
Understanding student thinking

• Amy for conceptual understanding through
  students personal experience in interactions
  with nature and environment
• I would ask them those questions about why
  they chose to do this and just talk to me a
  little bit about your black bear, to see if they
  understood (Interview, 06/21/2002).
• Leigh for model-based reasoning for inquiry and
  application
• Remember last week in our density-measuring
  device we had corn syrup, water, and oil. This
  means a liquid, which is more viscous than
  another one doesnt always have a higher density,
  too. Which two liquids from our experiment last
  week are an example of this? Why? (Laboratory
  Worksheet, 06/10/2002)

42
Discussion

• Comparison with Secondary candidates
• Steve and Leigh similar to the more and less
  successful secondary candidates
• Textbook knowledge or Model-based reasoning
• Ken and Amy different from secondary
  candidates
• Science appreciation Activity oriented
  practice

43
Discussion

• Ken and Amy Rhetorical similarities but
  important differences in practice
• Ken having very limited fact-oriented view of
  scientific knowledge, leading him to reject facts
  as worthwhile goal
• Amy having naturalists view, emphasis on
  experience with nature, but with clearer goals
  and ideas about student development

44
Discussion

• Key difference among candidates ability to
  reconcile goals of learning and motivation
• Leigh and Amy looking for ways to help students
  see intrinsic interest of science
• Ken and Steve pursuing one goal at the expense
  of the other
• Possible causes
• the different levels of scientific knowledge
  
• ways of thinking about science that the
  candidates brought with them to the program.

45
Learning from Field Experiences Teacher
Candidates Goals and Practices

• Kelly Grindstaff, In-Young Cho, and Charles W.
  Anderson

46
Looking at Classroom Practice Data Sources

• Lesson Plan and Reports from four one-day
  lessons, and one three-day lesson
• included goals for student learning, teaching
  activities, assessment of student learning, and
  reflections on what they would do differently
• Observations of classroom teaching
• Interviews about teaching
• Statements of teaching philosophy

47
Foci of Case Studies

• Personal background experience with science
• Teaching situation
• Ideas about what students should learn and how
  students learn
• Ideas about student and teacher roles in
  classrooms
• Classroom practice and judgments about classroom
  practice

48
Jared what and how students (should) learn -
reproducing fact

• The assessment for this section was the two page
  handout that reviewed what the students should
  have learned in the lecture - Lesson 1 Report,
  fall semester
• The first big idea of the solar system is the
  Earth-centered Model ..The second big idea is
  the Sun-Centered Model . - Lesson 2 Report,
  fall semester
• They (the students) had to define what is
  sedimentary rock. A good definition is important
  for them.

49
Jared roles of teachers and students -
participation

• If they feel bored, they wont try to learn
• I look at participation as the biggest thing .
  Because it (matters) more that they actually did
  the work, they took the time to sit down, be
  quiet, follow the directions . - Interview,
  spring semester
• When students are given a chance for hands-on
  work, they are more likely to do their work and
  participate more in class - Lesson Plan and
  Report, spring semester

50
Jared perceptions of practice - unmotivated
students

• Summer is a student who can understand if she
  wants to pay attention in class. For the most
  part she does not .
• I have to get them more involved and not just
  filling out worksheets. This will be hard with
  so many students who like to talk and not get any
  work done.
• It is like in the few minutes before they got the
  handout they forgot everything.
• They (the students) were having a hard time
  following the chart and linking what they learned
  in the lesson the day before to the lab.

51
Jared background situation

• Earth science major and history minor
• Senior year placement (4 hours per week) in a
  lower track earth science class in an urban
  school
• Dissatisfied with mentor teacher
• Had attended a Catholic high school
• High academic achievement
• Thought he would like to get a job in a suburban
  middle school

52
Jeff - what and how students (should) learn -
relevant facts

• My biggest concern in teaching is being able to
  relate this information, or any information for
  that matter, to my students lives. I believe
  that if students cannot see the things that we
  are talking about in class in the real world
  then they will be far less likely to retain or
  even reuse this information. - Lesson 1 Plan
  Report, fall semester

53
Jeff roles of teachers and students - transmit
facts

• We have pacing guides of things we need to cover
  in each unit, and these are more specific
  scientific principles than a general
  understanding of science as a whole.
• I decided on notes rather than a demo since I am
  trying to get used to putting things out. So
  I am limited by what information she (his mentor)
  wants me to transmit. - interview, fall semester

54
Jeff perceptions of practice - success
relevant fun

• I was very pleased with the students response to
  the lesson. I got satisfaction out of hearing the
  students point out parks that they had played in
  before .The student really took to the map
  exercise. They said things like,can we color in
  all the things or should we only do gravel mines
  for now? - 3-day Lesson Report, semester
  spring
• Maybe there isnt a much better way than I did it
  today but that doesnt mean I cant keep
  searching for it. - interview, fall semester

55
Jeff background situation

• Biology major and chemistry minor
• Senior year placement (4 hours per week) in an
  urban middle school science classroom teaching
  earth science
• Felt experience was the best teacher
• Average academic achievement
• Thought he would like to get a job teaching high
  school biology

56
Educational philosophy

• Lisa Barab everyone can learn science
• I strongly believe that all students can learn
  science. Therefore, I must find a way to teach
  it in a way that incorporates this belief. I plan
  to accomplish it by guiding students through the
  process needed to develop a sound conceptual
  understanding of science. This process begins
  with activating the students existing knowledge
  to link new knowledge to what they already know
  and understand well.

57
Educational philosophy

• Mike Barker - importance of educational career in
  individual life
• As a student and teacher, I have discovered the
  tremendous value education has in a persons
  life. My goal is to identify the students who
  have overlooked the importance of learning and
  give them access to all the opportunities
  education offers. If I can do this for just a
  handful of students, my teaching career will be a
  complete success.

58
Educational goals for science teaching

• Lisa Barab - conceptual understanding
• Constructing conceptual understanding through
  scientific inquiry, incorporating students prior
  knowledge and life experiences
• - My teaching of science will incorporate
  application of scientific knowledge to practical
  life experiences and employ the significance of
  science inquiryAltogether, these will make
  learning science exciting and interesting, and
  more importantly understandable.

59
Educational goals for science teaching

• Mike Baker transfer of knowledge and problem
  solving skills
• Make students become successful citizens in the
  future by providing students with useful tools of
  correct understanding of procedures and
  mathematical relationships
• - In some circumstances, the best explanation
  may occur once the foundation is established,
  which may take more than one lesson. On the
  other hand, offering a rudimentary explanation
  will assist the students in remembering a set of
  patterns.

60
Perception of teachers and students roles

• Lisa Barab facilitator and critical thinker
  engaged in scientific inquiry
• - provoke students interest in classroom
  activities
• - careful analysis of students reasoning skills
  and understanding
• - participate fun and plausible scientific
  inquiry process

61
Perception of teachers and students roles

• Mike Baker transmitter and user of algorithmic
  tools
• - help students to accomplish their academic
  potential
• - provide students with key problem-solving
  skills
• - transfer of knowledge in a procedural form

62
Personal background and teaching situation

• Lisa Barab
• - Physical chemist father
• - High academic achievement
• - Science research experience
• - Great interest in science
• - Teaching chemistry in suburban high school

63
Personal background and teaching situation

• Mike Baker
• - A manager of R D technology in chemical
  engineering company
• - High academic achievement
• - Strong self-confidence in science content
  knowledge and teaching strategy
• - Positive attitude about science teaching
• - Teaching chemistry in suburban high school

64
What shapes practical knowledge and performance
in science teaching ?

• Educational philosophy
• Educational goals for science teaching
• Perceptions of teachers role in science
  classroom
• Classroom teaching situation
• Personal prior knowledge and experiences

65
Conclusion
66
Expectancy X Value Model

• The likelihood that an individual will expend
  effort on a task is proportional to the product
  of two factors
• the degree to which they value both the outcome
  of and engagement with the task (i.e., the
  product and the process)
• the degree to which they expect to be able to
  perform that task successfully, provided they
  apply themselves

67
Zone of Proximal Development

• Practices a newcomer can carry out only with the
  support of more knowledgeable individuals
• (e.g., Vygotsky, Lave Wenger)

68
Combined Framework

• Those practices that appear within an
  individuals ZPD are those that she may not be
  able to successfully carry out independently, but
  they are practices she both values highly and has
  a high expectancy of success with support from us
  or others

69

70
Implications

• We try to convince candidates of the importance
  of our values by
• --designing assignments consonant with our
  values
• --assigning grades for successful completion of
  these assignments
• We help increase expectancy for success by
  providing scaffolded opportunities to learn more
  about
• --the learning process
• --their content understanding
• --the students they teach

71
Implications (continued)

• Our goals may not have been reached because we
  may not have sufficiently understood our
  candidates ZPDs
• --For candidates who hold values consistent with
  our own, no problems arise (practices are within
  their ZPDs)
• --For other candidates, problems arise because
  the practices are outside their ZPDs. They may
  reinterpret our assignments to focus on practices
  that they valued more highly or for which they
  had a greater expectancy of success

72
Conclusion

• What we hope to do
• --modify our expectations of the candidates
• --try to modify their values and expectancies of
  success
• Target goals
• --create assignments that more consistently
  engage them in the practices that are within
  their ZPDs
• --help candidate develop more sophisticated
  teaching practices

73
Factors Affecting Candidates Practice

• Personal resources and values Science knowledge
  and experience, insights into students, core
  values and priorities, etc.
• Culture of school and classroom Resources,
  opportunities, values
• Culture of teacher preparation program
  Resources, assignments, opportunities, values

74
Implications

• Importance of school placements and experiences
  in schools
• Importance of experiences with science and
  resulting knowledge and ideas about the nature of
  science
• Conceptual change problems in teacher
  preparation We know better what we need to work
  on

75
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